dishonest
gb/dɪsˈɑnɪst/ us/dɪsˈɑnɪst/
B1
English
~ 10000
Senses
0 senses
adjective
B1
property
1
not honest; likely to lie or cheat
Not honest; ready to lie, cheat, or hide the truth to get what you want.
Usage pattern:
to be dishonest with [someone]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes say *"He is a dishonest"* without a noun. In English, you must say *"He is dishonest"* or *"He is a dishonest person"*. Another mistake is using *dishonest* when someone is only wrong, not lying; if there is no intention to lie or cheat, *mistaken* or *wrong* is better than *dishonest*.
Synonyms
untruthful (Focuses more specifically on not telling the truth in speech.)
|
deceitful (Stronger sense of actively trying to trick or mislead others.)
|
corrupt (Often used for people in power who are dishonest for personal gain, especially in politics or business.)
Antonyms
honest (General opposite; someone who tells the truth and behaves fairly.)
|
trustworthy (Opposite in terms of being someone others can safely trust.)
|
upright (Formal; stresses strong moral standards and integrity.)
Collocations
dishonest person
|dishonest employee
|dishonest politician
|deeply dishonest
|plainly dishonest
|incredibly dishonest
Themes
ethics
|daily life
|relationships
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- I stopped working with him because I found out he was dishonest about almost everything.
- The company fired several dishonest employees who had been stealing from the cash register.
- Voters are tired of dishonest politicians who make promises they never plan to keep.
- She realized her boyfriend had been dishonest with her about his past.
- It is dishonest to pretend you did the work when someone else did it for you.
Learner examples
- I cannot trust him because he is dishonest.
- The shop hired a dishonest worker who took money from the till.
- It is dishonest to lie to your friends.
- Her parents were angry because she was dishonest about where she went last night.
- A dishonest friend can hurt you very badly.
adjective
B2
property
2
unfair or illegal in method
Not fair or not legal; done in a way that breaks rules about what is right or honest.
Usage pattern:
a dishonest [action]
Common mistake:
Learners may use *dishonest* when they only mean something is *incorrect* or *inaccurate*. *Dishonest* suggests someone is breaking rules on purpose. If information is wrong but not a lie, use *wrong*, *false*, or *incorrect*, not *dishonest*.
Synonyms
fraudulent (Legal or formal; used for actions that involve cheating, especially with money or documents.)
|
unethical (Stresses breaking moral or professional rules rather than the law itself.)
|
underhanded (Informal; suggests secret, sneaky, and unfair methods.)
Antonyms
fair (Opposite in terms of treating people equally and justly.)
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legitimate (Opposite in terms of being lawful or acceptable according to rules.)
|
aboveboard (Informal; means open and honest, with nothing hidden.)
Collocations
dishonest practices
|dishonest business
|dishonest scheme
|dishonest deal
|dishonest advertising
|dishonest conduct
Themes
ethics
|law
|business
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- The company was fined for dishonest business practices that misled customers.
- He was arrested for using dishonest methods to obtain bank loans.
- They accused the firm of running a dishonest scheme to avoid paying taxes.
- The judge called the contract dishonest and refused to approve it.
- Many people felt the advertisement was dishonest because it hid the real costs.
Learner examples
- The store lost many customers because of its dishonest practices.
- Selling fake tickets is a dishonest business.
- The plan to hide the money was clearly dishonest.
- She refused to sign the dishonest contract.
- Dishonest advertising can trick people into buying bad products.
Grammar
Dictionary form
dishonest
IPA
GB/dɪsˈɑnɪst/
US/dɪsˈɑnɪst/
Syllables & stress
dis - hon - est (3 syllables)
Stress on 2nd syllable (hon)
Word forms
Adjective
- Base: dishonest
Word family
Negative and opposite forms
dishonesty
noun B2
dishonestly
adverb
Expressions
No expressions linked to this entry yet.