dishonesty
Americannoun
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lack of honesty; a disposition to lie, cheat, or steal.
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a dishonest act; fraud.
noun
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lack of honesty or fairness; deceit
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a deceiving act or statement; fraud
Usage
What does dishonesty mean? Dishonesty is the opposite of honesty—it’s the act or practice of being intentionally deceptive or not fully truthful in some way. When a person is accused of dishonesty, it usually means they are frequently or habitually untruthful—that they tend to lie often or that they often hide or leave out part of the truth. Dishonesty involves being intentionally deceptive—deceiving people or misleading them through lies, the omission of all or parts of the truth, or the twisting of the truth. The adjective dishonest is used to describe someone or something as intentionally deceptive or not fully truthful in some way. Example: The level of your dishonesty is astounding—I can’t believe a word you say.
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of dishonesty
First recorded in 1350–1400, dishonesty is from the Middle English word deshonestee. See dis- 1, honesty
Explanation
Acting in a way that's deceitful or false is dishonesty. If your best friend claims she'll be studying all weekend, but she's actually planning to go out with other pals, that's dishonesty. The word dishonesty implies that someone's lying, but it also encompasses cheating or being deceptive. When a magician claims to have special powers but secretly hides cards up their sleeve, you might think of it as dishonesty — although the magician might call it "illusion" or "sleight of hand."
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
As De Palma posits, this was always a place where corruption and dishonesty could flourish.
From Salon • Jul. 4, 2026
Judge Huw Rees said at the time of the offending, fraudulent activity had been "endemic" at the firm and he said it had engaged in "considerable dishonesty" over a prolonged period.
From BBC • Jun. 6, 2026
That, combined with the dishonesty evidenced by the fraud convictions, resulted in the GMC viewing Hopper's conduct as "incompatible" with the medical profession, Dudley concluded.
From BBC • May 29, 2026
Mr Altman’s alleged dishonesty was likewise central to Mr. Musk’s case.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 19, 2026
“You always said that dishonesty was punished eventually, so I didn’t want to keep it.”
From "Ophie's Ghosts" by Justina Ireland
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
