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Dishonest synonyms

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lying
False; not truthful
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  1. False; not truthful
  2. Disposed to or characterized by untruth:
untruthful
Contrary to truth; not true.
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  1. Contrary to truth; not true.
  2. Given to telling untruths; likely to tell lies
  3. Not giving the truth; providing untrue facts; lying.
double-dealing
Duplicitous or deceitful; treacherous.
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  1. Duplicitous or deceitful; treacherous.
  2. (Of a person) Cheating, dishonest; treacherous.
deceitful
Deliberately misleading or cheating
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  1. Deliberately misleading or cheating
  2. Tending to deceive; apt to lie or cheat
  3. Intended to deceive; deceptive; false
fraudulent
Acting with fraud; deceitful
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  1. Acting with fraud; deceitful
  2. Characterized by, constituting, or gained by fraud:
  3. Done or obtained by fraud
false
Arising from mistaken ideas:
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  1. Arising from mistaken ideas:
  2. Contrary to fact or truth:
  3. Not genuine or real:
counterfeit
Made in imitation of something genuine so as to deceive or defraud; forged
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  1. Made in imitation of something genuine so as to deceive or defraud; forged
  2. Made in imitation of what is genuine with the intent to defraud:
  3. False, especially of money; intended to deceive or carry appearance of being genuine.
cunning
Attractive or pretty in a delicate way; cute
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  1. Attractive or pretty in a delicate way; cute
  2. Marked by or given to artful subtlety and deceptiveness.
  3. Made or done with skill or ingenuity
crafty
Possessing dexterity; skilled; skillful.
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  1. Possessing dexterity; skilled; skillful.
  2. Skilled in or marked by underhandedness, deviousness, or deception.
  3. Skillful at deceiving others; characterized by craft; cunning; wily.
sneaky
Dishonest; deceitful
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  1. Dishonest; deceitful
  2. Of or like a sneak; underhanded
  3. Difficult to catch due to constantly outwitting the adversaries
tricky
Hard to deal with, complicated
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  1. Hard to deal with, complicated
  2. Adept at using deception
  3. Requiring caution or skill:
knavish
Having the characteristics of a knave; mischievous, roguish, waggish, rascally or impertinent
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  1. Having the characteristics of a knave; mischievous, roguish, waggish, rascally or impertinent
  2. Like or characteristic of a knave; esp., dishonest; tricky
wily
Sly, cunning, full of tricks
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  1. Sly, cunning, full of tricks
  2. Full of wiles; crafty; sly
crooked
Having or marked by bends, curves, or angles.
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  1. Having or marked by bends, curves, or angles.
  2. Having a crook or hook
  3. At an irregular or improper angle; askew:
deceptive
Deceiving or intended to deceive
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  1. Deceiving or intended to deceive
  2. Misleading, likely or attempting to deceive
  3. Deceiving or tending to deceive:
misleading
Tending to mislead; deceptive.
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  1. Tending to mislead; deceptive.
  2. Deceptive or tending to mislead or create a false impression.
evasive
Intentionally vague or ambiguous; equivocal:
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  1. Intentionally vague or ambiguous; equivocal:
  2. Hard to catch, grasp, etc.; elusive
  3. Tending or seeking to evade; not straightforward; tricky; equivocal
slippery
Subject to change
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  1. Subject to change
  2. (Figuratively, by extension) Evasive; difficult to pin down.
  3. Of a surface, having low friction, often due to being covered in a non-viscous liquid, and therefore hard to grip, hard to stand on without falling, etc.
unctuous
Like oil, soap, or grease to the touch
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  1. Like oil, soap, or grease to the touch
  2. Made up of or containing fat or oil
  3. Characterized by a false show of deep or sincere feeling, as in trying to persuade; too smooth or overly polite in speech, manners, etc.
insincere
Habitually phony or dishonest:
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  1. Habitually phony or dishonest:
  2. Not sincere; deceptive or hypocritical; not to be trusted
  3. Not sincere; not genuine:
hypocritical
Being a hypocrite:
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  1. Being a hypocrite:
  2. Characterized by hypocrisy or being a hypocrite. [from mid-16th c.]
  3. Characterized by hypocrisy:
disingenuous
Not ingenuous; not frank or open; uncandid; unworthily or meanly artful.
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  1. Not ingenuous; not frank or open; uncandid; unworthily or meanly artful.
  2. Not noble; unbecoming true honor or dignity; mean; unworthy; fake or deceptive.
  3. Slyly deceptive or misleading, typically by means of a pretense of ignorance or unawareness
sneaking
Acting in a stealthy, furtive way.
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  1. Acting in a stealthy, furtive way.
  2. Gradually growing or persistent:
  3. Not admitted or made known to others; secret
recreant
Failing to keep faith; disloyal; traitorous
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  1. Failing to keep faith; disloyal; traitorous
  2. (Now poetic, literary) Unfaithful to someone, or to one's duties or honour; disloyal, false. [from 17th c.]
  3. Unfaithful or disloyal to a belief, duty, or cause:
roguish
Mischievous and playful
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  1. Mischievous and playful
  2. Of, like, or characteristic of a rogue
  3. Deceitful; unprincipled:
backbiting
A person who slanders or speaks badly of a person without that person's knowledge.
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  1. A person who slanders or speaks badly of a person without that person's knowledge.
treacherous
Guilty of or characterized by betrayal of confidence or trust; perfidious.
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  1. Guilty of or characterized by betrayal of confidence or trust; perfidious.
  2. Characterized by unforeseen or hidden hazards; dangerous or deceptive:
  3. Giving a false appearance of safety or reliability; untrustworthy or insecure
falsehearted
Disloyal; deceitful
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  1. Disloyal; deceitful
  2. Alternative spelling of false-hearted.
traitorous
Of, or having the nature of, a traitor; treacherous; faithless
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  1. Of, or having the nature of, a traitor; treacherous; faithless
  2. Characteristic of a traitor; disloyal
  3. Having the character of a traitor; disloyal
villainous
Appropriate to or characteristic of a villain:
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  1. Appropriate to or characteristic of a villain:
  2. Highly unpleasant or annoying:
  3. Of, like, or characteristic of a villain; evil; wicked
sinister
Portending misfortune or disaster; ominous:
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  1. Portending misfortune or disaster; ominous:
  2. Wicked, evil, or dishonest, esp. in some dark, mysterious way
  3. (--- Heraldry) On the left side of a shield (the right as seen by the viewer)
mendacious
Lying; untruthful:
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  1. Lying; untruthful:
  2. False; untrue:
  3. Not truthful; lying or false
duplicitous
Having duplicity; deceitful
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  1. Having duplicity; deceitful
  2. Given to or marked by deliberate deceptiveness in behavior or speech.
perfidious
Characterized by perfidy; treacherous
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  1. Characterized by perfidy; treacherous
  2. Of, relating to, or marked by perfidy; treacherous.
insidious
Characterized by treachery or slyness; crafty; wily
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  1. Characterized by treachery or slyness; crafty; wily
  2. Intended to entrap; treacherous:
  3. Working harm in a slow or subtle manner; hence, more dangerous than seems evident
devious
Departing from the correct or accepted way; erring:
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  1. Departing from the correct or accepted way; erring:
  2. Deviating from the straight or direct course; roundabout:
  3. Away from a main road or course; distant or removed.
machiavellian
Suggestive of or characterized by expediency, deceit, and cunning.
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  1. Suggestive of or characterized by expediency, deceit, and cunning.
  2. Alternative form of Machiavellian.
  3. Of, like, or characterized by the political principles and methods of expediency, craftiness, and duplicity set forth in Machiavelli's book, The Prince; crafty, deceitful, etc.
underhanded
Acting or done in a deceptive, secret, or sly manner; dishonest and sneaky.
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  1. Acting or done in a deceptive, secret, or sly manner; dishonest and sneaky.
  2. Done by moving the hand (arm) from below.
  3. Sly, dishonest, corrupt, cheating.
shady
Shaded, as from the sun; full of shade
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  1. Shaded, as from the sun; full of shade
  2. (Slang) Not trustworthy; Unfit to be seen or known.
  3. Full of shade; shaded:
double
Twice as much in size, strength, number, or amount:
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  1. Twice as much in size, strength, number, or amount:
  2. Accommodating or designed for two:
  3. Characterized by duplicity; deceitful:
unprincipled
Lacking moral values
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  1. Lacking moral values
  2. Characterized by lack of moral principles; unscrupulous
shifty
Having, displaying, or suggestive of deceitful character; evasive or untrustworthy.
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  1. Having, displaying, or suggestive of deceitful character; evasive or untrustworthy.
  2. Able to accomplish what is needed; resourceful.
  3. Distinguished by frequent changes in direction:
unscrupulous
Not scrupulous; not restrained by ideas of right and wrong; unprincipled
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  1. Not scrupulous; not restrained by ideas of right and wrong; unprincipled
  2. Without scruples; immoral.
undependable
The opposite of dependable
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  1. The opposite of dependable
  2. Not easily relied or depended on:
disreputable
Not reputable; having or causing a bad reputation; discreditable
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  1. Not reputable; having or causing a bad reputation; discreditable
  2. Not respectable, lacking repute; discreditable
  3. Not fit to be seen; dirty, shabby, etc.
questionable
Suspected with good reason of being immoral, dishonest, unsound, etc.
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  1. Suspected with good reason of being immoral, dishonest, unsound, etc.
  2. Not definitely as specified; uncertain
  3. Not yet determined or specified.
dishonorable
Lacking integrity; unprincipled.
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  1. Lacking integrity; unprincipled.
  2. Characterized by or causing dishonor or discredit.
  3. Without honor, or causing dishonor
corrupt
(Obs.) Changed from a sound condition to an unsound one; spoiled; contaminated; rotten
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  1. (Obs.) Changed from a sound condition to an unsound one; spoiled; contaminated; rotten
  2. Containing errors or alterations, especially ones that prevent proper understanding or use:
  3. Deteriorated from the normal or standard
immoral
Not in conformity with accepted principles of right and wrong behavior, specif., depraved
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  1. Not in conformity with accepted principles of right and wrong behavior, specif., depraved
  2. Not moral; inconsistent with rectitude, purity, or good morals; contrary to conscience or the divine law.
  3. Not in conformity with the accepted standards of proper sexual behavior, specif., unchaste or lewd
unethical
Not morally approvable; morally bad; not ethical.
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  1. Not morally approvable; morally bad; not ethical.
  2. Not in accordance with the moral standards customarily followed in a business or professional relationship. See also conflict of interest and Model Rules of Professional Conduct. Not in accordance with the moral standards customarily followed in a business or professional relationship. See also conflict of interest and Model Rules of Professional Conduct.
ignoble
Not noble in birth or position; of the common people
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  1. Not noble in birth or position; of the common people
  2. Not of high social status; common.
  3. Not noble in character or quality; dishonorable; base; mean
unworthy
Not worthy; lacking value or merit; worthless.
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  1. Not worthy; lacking value or merit; worthless.
  2. Not fit or becoming
  3. Insufficient in worth; undeserving:
degraded
(Biology) Having the typical characters or organs in a partially developed condition, or lacking certain parts.
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  1. (Biology) Having the typical characters or organs in a partially developed condition, or lacking certain parts.
  2. (Heraldry) Having steps; said of a cross whose extremities end in steps growing larger as they leave the centre; on degrees.
  3. Having been reduced in quality or value.
shabby
Dilapidated or deteriorated in condition, especially through neglect; seedy:
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  1. Dilapidated or deteriorated in condition, especially through neglect; seedy:
  2. Showing much wear; ragged; threadbare
  3. Despicable; mean:
mean
Low in value, rank, or social status:
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  1. Low in value, rank, or social status:
  2. (Slang) Hard to cope with; difficult or troublesome:
  3. Ignoble; base:
low
Cut to show the wearer's neck and chest; décolleté:
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  1. Cut to show the wearer's neck and chest; décolleté:
  2. Below an average or a standard:
  3. Mean; despicable; contemptible
venal
(Now Rare) Capable of being obtained for a price
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  1. (Now Rare) Capable of being obtained for a price
  2. Characterized by corrupt dealings, especially bribery:
  3. Characterized by bribery or corruption
self-serving
Showing interest only in oneself
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  1. Showing interest only in oneself
  2. Exhibiting concern solely for one's own interests:
  3. Serving one's own interests, especially without concern for the needs or interests of others.
contemptible
(Obs.) Contemptuous
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  1. (Obs.) Contemptuous
  2. Deserving of contempt or scorn; worthless; despicable
corruptible
That can be corrupted, esp. morally
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  1. That can be corrupted, esp. morally
  2. Capable of being corrupted:
  3. Possible to corrupt.
crooked
Not straightforward; dishonest; swindling
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  1. Not straightforward; dishonest; swindling
  2. (Informal) Dishonest or unscrupulous; fraudulent.
  3. At an irregular or improper angle; askew:
rotten
(Slang) Very bad, unsatisfactory, nasty, etc.
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  1. (Slang) Very bad, unsatisfactory, nasty, etc.
  2. Morally corrupt or despicable:
  3. Soft or easily broken as because of decomposition; friable
dirty
Extremely unfortunate or regrettable:
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  1. Extremely unfortunate or regrettable:
  2. Spreading dirt; polluting:
  3. Disagreeable or contemptible; mean; nasty
fishy
(Informal) Inspiring doubt or suspicion:
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  1. (Informal) Inspiring doubt or suspicion:
  2. Suspicious; inspiring doubt.
  3. Like a fish in odor, taste, etc., specif., strongly or undesirably so
deceitful
Deceptive in multiple ways
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  1. Deceptive in multiple ways
  2. Deliberately misleading or cheating
  3. Tending to deceive; apt to lie or cheat
lying
False; not truthful
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  1. False; not truthful
  2. Disposed to or characterized by untruth:
mendacious
False; untrue:
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  1. False; untrue:
  2. Lying; untruthful:
  3. Not truthful; lying or false
untruthful
Given to telling untruths; likely to tell lies
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  1. Given to telling untruths; likely to tell lies
  2. Not giving the truth; providing untrue facts; lying.
  3. Telling a lie
corrupt
Deteriorated from the normal or standard
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  1. Deteriorated from the normal or standard
  2. Venal or dishonest:
  3. Containing errors or alterations, especially ones that prevent proper understanding or use:
venal
Open to bribery; mercenary:
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  1. Open to bribery; mercenary:
  2. Characterized by bribery or corruption
  3. Characterized by corrupt dealings, especially bribery:
crooked
Having or marked by bends, curves, or angles.
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  1. Having or marked by bends, curves, or angles.
  2. (Informal) Dishonest or unscrupulous; fraudulent.
  3. At an irregular or improper angle; askew:

Synonym Study

  • Untruthful is used as a somewhat softened substitute for lying, esp. with reference to statements, reports, etc. an untruthful account
  • Lying suggests only the act of telling a falsehood curb your lying tongue
  • Deceitful implies an intent to make someone believe what is not true, as by giving a false appearance, using fraud, etc. a deceitful advertisement
  • Dishonest implies the act or practice of telling a lie, or of cheating, deceiving, stealing, etc. a dishonest official
Find another word for dishonest. In this page you can discover 97 synonyms, antonyms, idiomatic expressions, and related words for dishonest, like: deceiving, lying, untruthful, double-dealing, deceitful, fraudulent, false, counterfeit, cunning, crafty and sneaky.

Sentence Examples

  • You know how stubborn you are about not doing business with dishonest people.

  • Butchers have palmed off upon their customers imported fresh meat as homegrown, and secured a dishonest profit by charging for it the prices of the latter, which are considerably in excess of those of the imported product.

  • A dishonest and corrupt judge, he was deprived of his office and imprisoned in 1552.

  • Notwithstanding his vices and his lack of all solid capacity, there is no reason to suppose that Napper Tandy was dishonest or insincere; and the manner in which his name was introduced in the well-known ballad, "The Wearing of the Green," proves that he succeeded in impressing the popular imagination of the rebel party in Ireland.

  • He used all sorts of expedients, sometimes dishonest, to replenish the treasury, and was even accused of having himself profited from the commerce in wheat.

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Words that mention dishonest in the Dictionary

Words near dishonest in the Thesaurus