dishonesty
Americannoun
plural
dishonesties-
lack of honesty; a disposition to lie, cheat, or steal.
-
a dishonest act; fraud.
noun
-
lack of honesty or fairness; deceit
-
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.
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.
Dishonesty about the true breadth of the pandemic in China constitutes a threat to public health worldwide.
From Washington Post • Jan. 16, 2023
Dishonesty actually does destroy friendships, because it erodes trust.
From Slate • Mar. 11, 2022
But in Dishonesty Is the Second-Best Policy, a collection of his columns from the past three years, Mitchell has reached a more macro-scale judgment.
From The Guardian • Nov. 3, 2019
Dishonesty in the name of righteousness always boggles the sensibilities.
From New York Times • Apr. 17, 2016
Dishonesty or suspicion of it he never overlooks.
From Washington in Domestic Life by Rush, Richard
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.
