be disingenuous

USAGE SUMMARY

"be disingenuous" is correct and usable in written English. You can use it when describing someone who is not being sincere or honest in their communication. Example: "He tends to be disingenuous when discussing his true intentions." Alternative expressions include "be insincere" and "be deceitful."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

But that would be disingenuous.

The Guardian - Opinion

"We weren't trying to be disingenuous.

The New York Times

I'm not going to be disingenuous".

The New York Times - Sports

Can a football shirt be disingenuous?

The Guardian - Sport

"We're not going to be disingenuous about it.

The Guardian - Business

Rex Tillerson, Exxon's chairman, told shareholders: "We're not going to be disingenuous about it.

Independent

So it would truly be disingenuous to claim that we're the unscheduled family of "no".

The New York Times

"It would be disingenuous if I didn't," said Nigel Redden, the Lincoln Center Festival's director.

The New York Times

Her oblivion seemed so extreme that it had to be disingenuous.

The New Yorker

It would be disingenuous to say that the shift in scale isn't enormous.

The New Yorker

" It would be disingenuous to ignore a president's failings, mistakes and frailties; they all had them.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

In formal arguments, follow the phrase with a 'to' infinitive clause (e.g., 'It would be disingenuous to suggest...') to identify the specific claim being criticized.

Common error

Do not confuse 'disingenuous' with 'ingenious'. While they sound similar, 'ingenious' refers to cleverness and originality, whereas "be disingenuous" refers to a lack of sincerity.

Linguistic Context

In linguistic structures, "be disingenuous" serves as a copular verb phrase followed by a predicative adjective. As noted in Ludwig, it is frequently used as an impersonal construction (e.g., 'It would be disingenuous to...') to critique an argument without attacking the person directly. Ludwig AI identifies this as a standard way to introduce a counter-argument or a reality check.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

75%

Formal & Business

15%

Science

10%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

5%

Wiki

3%

Social Media

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

To "be disingenuous" is more than just being dishonest; it is a specific form of insincerity where one assumes a pose of naivety to hide their true knowledge or intentions. Data from Ludwig shows that this phrase is a staple of high-quality editorial writing, often appearing in the construction 'It would be disingenuous to...' as a way to maintain professional decorum while calling out falsehoods. Ludwig AI confirms its high frequency in sources like The New York Times and The Guardian, making it an essential phrase for anyone engaged in critical analysis or formal debate. When using it, ensure you are highlighting a lack of candor rather than just a simple lie, and avoid the common pitfall of confusing it with its phonetic cousin, 'ingenious'.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

be insincere

Lacks the specific nuance of pretending to know less than one actually does.

be duplicitous

Carries a stronger connotation of active double-dealing or betrayal.

be uncandid

A more formal and direct opposite of being open or frank.

feign ignorance

Focuses specifically on the act of pretending not to know something.

be deceitful

A broader term for any form of lying or misleading.

be two-faced

A more colloquial term focusing on social hypocrisy.

not be frank

A softer and more indirect way to describe a lack of transparency.

be calculating

Suggests that the lack of honesty is part of a strategic plan.

play dumb

An informal idiomatic expression for pretending to be uninformed.

be hypocritical

Focuses on the gap between stated beliefs and actual behavior.

FAQs

What does it mean to "be disingenuous"?

To "be disingenuous" means to be insincere or calculate a false appearance of honesty, often by pretending to know less about a subject than one actually does.

What is a common alternative to "be disingenuous"?

You can use alternatives like "<a href="/s/be+insincere" target="_blank" rel="alternative">be insincere" or "<a href="/s/be+uncandid" target="_blank" rel="alternative">be uncandid" depending on how formal you want to be.

Is "be disingenuous" the same as "be dishonest"?

While related, being "<a href="/s/be+dishonest" target="_blank" rel="alternative">be dishonest" is a general term for lying, whereas to "be disingenuous" specifically implies a pose of false innocence or pretending to be unaware.

What is the antonym of "be disingenuous"?

The direct opposite is to "<a href="/s/be+candid" target="_blank" rel="alternative">be candid" or "<a href="/s/be+ingenuous" target="_blank" rel="alternative">be ingenuous", which mean to be open, frank and sincere.