Dishonestly: meaning, definitions and examples

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dishonestly

[dɪsˈɒnɪstli ]

Definitions

^{Context #1 | Adverb}

in a deceptive or untruthful manner

Behaving dishonestly is not acceptable in any situation. It is important to always be truthful and act with integrity.

Synonyms

deceptively, untruthfully.

Which Synonym Should You Choose?

Word	Description / Examples
dishonestly	This word is used when someone acts without honesty, often to gain an advantage or avoid something negative. It's a general term for lack of integrity. He acted dishonestly by hiding the evidence from the police. She answered the question dishonestly to avoid getting in trouble.
deceptively	This word is used when someone creates a false impression or misleads others. It often implies cleverness or trickery and is used to describe actions that are meant to deceive. He deceptively convinced everyone that he was an expert in the field. The advertisement was deceptively written to make the product seem more effective than it actually is.
untruthfully	This word is used when someone is not telling the truth. It specifically refers to statements or assertions that are false. She spoke untruthfully about her qualifications. The witness testified untruthfully in court.

Word

Description / Examples

dishonestly

This word is used when someone acts without honesty, often to gain an advantage or avoid something negative. It's a general term for lack of integrity.

He acted dishonestly by hiding the evidence from the police.
She answered the question dishonestly to avoid getting in trouble.

deceptively

This word is used when someone creates a false impression or misleads others. It often implies cleverness or trickery and is used to describe actions that are meant to deceive.

He deceptively convinced everyone that he was an expert in the field.
The advertisement was deceptively written to make the product seem more effective than it actually is.

untruthfully

This word is used when someone is not telling the truth. It specifically refers to statements or assertions that are false.

She spoke untruthfully about her qualifications.
The witness testified untruthfully in court.

Examples of usage

He obtained the job dishonestly by lying on his resume.
The company was accused of acting dishonestly in their business dealings.

^{Context #2 | Adverb}

in a way that shows a lack of honesty or integrity

She spoke to her colleagues dishonestly, pretending to be their friend while secretly plotting against them.

Synonyms

unethically, unfairly.

Which Synonym Should You Choose?

Word	Description / Examples
dishonestly	When someone acts without telling the truth or cheats others to gain an advantage. This usually has a negative connotation. He acted dishonestly by lying on his resume to get the job
unfairly	When someone acts in a way that is not just or equitable, usually creating an imbalance or bias. It is less severe than 'unethically' and 'dishonestly'. The judge was accused of treating the defendant unfairly during the trial
unethically	When actions go against moral principles or accepted professional standards. This term is often used in professional or academic settings. The researcher behaved unethically by falsifying the study results

Word

Description / Examples

dishonestly

When someone acts without telling the truth or cheats others to gain an advantage. This usually has a negative connotation.

He acted dishonestly by lying on his resume to get the job

unfairly

When someone acts in a way that is not just or equitable, usually creating an imbalance or bias. It is less severe than 'unethically' and 'dishonestly'.

The judge was accused of treating the defendant unfairly during the trial

unethically

When actions go against moral principles or accepted professional standards. This term is often used in professional or academic settings.

The researcher behaved unethically by falsifying the study results

Examples of usage

He was operating dishonestly by taking credit for work he didn't do.
The politician was seen acting dishonestly by accepting bribes.

Interesting Facts

Etymology

The word 'dishonestly' is made up of 'dishonest' with the '-ly' ending that means in a certain way.
The root 'honest' originates from the Latin 'honestus', meaning respectable or worthy of honor.

Psychology

Research shows that people are more likely to act dishonestly when they can justify their actions to themselves.
Social norms play a big role; if dishonesty is common in a group, individuals are more likely to mimic that behavior.

Literature

Many classic tales, like 'The Adventures of Tom Sawyer', explore themes of dishonesty and its consequences.
Shakespeare often tackled dishonesty through deception in his plays, reflecting human nature's flaws.

Pop Culture

In movies like 'Catch Me If You Can', characters are celebrated for their clever dishonesty, raising questions about morality.
Television shows often depict dishonesty as a key element of drama, illustrating the conflict between truth and lies.

Law

Dishonesty can lead to legal consequences such as fraud, which can result in severe penalties.
Many laws are designed to promote honesty in transactions to maintain fairness in society.

Translations

Translations of the word "dishonestly" in other languages:

🇵🇹 desonestamente

🇮🇳 बेमानी से

🇩🇪 unehrlich

🇮🇩 tidak jujur

🇺🇦 нечесно

🇵🇱 nieuczciwie

🇯🇵 不正に (ふせいに)

🇫🇷 malhonnêtement

🇪🇸 deshonestamente

🇹🇷 dürüst olmayan bir şekilde

🇰🇷 부정직하게

🇸🇦 بشكل غير نزيه

🇨🇿 nepoctivě

🇸🇰 nečestne

🇨🇳 不诚实地 (bù chéngshí de)

🇸🇮 nepošteno

🇮🇸 óheiðarlega

🇰🇿 адал емес

🇬🇪 არაგულწრფელად

🇦🇿 vicdansızcasına

🇲🇽 deshonestamente

Word Frequency Rank

At rank #29,925, this word represents specialized academic or technical vocabulary. It's less frequently encountered but may be valuable in specific contexts.

...
29922 chipper
29923 spooked
29924 terminator
29925 dishonestly
29926 amusingly
29927 unmask
29928 censorious
...