untruthful

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "untruthful" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe someone who is not honest or is deliberately misleading. Example: "The witness was found to be untruthful during the trial, which affected the case's outcome."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Second, lying requires that the person believe the statement to be false; that is, lying requires that the statement be untruthful (untruthfulness condition).

SEP

However, in the case of polite untruths, such as "Madam is not at home," the untruthful statement is simply a euphemism: "For example, the words "She is not at home," delivered by a servant or a relative at the door, have become a mere euphemism for indisposition or disinclination" (Isenberg 1973, 256).

SEP

According to the untruthfulness condition, lying requires that a person make an untruthful statement, that is, make a statement that she believes to be false.

SEP

Against the untruthfulness condition of L1 it has been objected that an untruthful statement is not necessary for lying.

SEP

According to the untruthfulness condition, it is sufficient for lying that the person who makes the untruthful statement intends that the addressee believe the untruthful statement to be true; it is not necessary that the addressee believe the untruthful statement to be true.

SEP

He also misled both Barclays and the FCA by providing an account of events that was untruthful.

The Guardian - Business

After the Guardian's disclosures that the NSA collects and stores for five years the phone records of millions of Americans, Clapper conceded he provided the "least untruthful" answer he could in a public forum.

The Guardian

But Mark Latham, leader of the opposition Labor Party, signalled that his campaign would focus on another form of trust: he will be making much of accusations in recent weeks that the prime minister has been untruthful.

The Economist

The official reason--that no proper invitation was issued--is untruthful.

The Economist

On March 22nd the tribunal, which spent 15 years scrutinising payments to politicians, found that Mr Ahern was "untruthful" in explaining the source of large sums of money in his bank accounts.

The Economist

He now says he answered in "the least untruthful manner" possible.

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing a situation or statement, use "untruthful" to emphasize the lack of factual accuracy rather than a deliberate intent to deceive. For deliberate deception use "dishonest" or "deceptive".

Common error

Avoid using "untruthful" when "inaccurate" is more appropriate. "Untruthful" implies an intent to mislead, while "inaccurate" simply means containing errors without necessarily implying deception.

Linguistic Context

The adjective "untruthful" primarily functions to describe something (like a statement, account, or person) as not being in accordance with the truth. Ludwig examples show it modifying nouns to indicate a lack of veracity.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

38%

Science

36%

Encyclopedias

8%

Less common in

Formal & Business

5%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "untruthful" is an adjective used to describe something that is not in accordance with the truth. Ludwig indicates that it's a correct and commonly used term, particularly in contexts related to science, news, and encyclopedias. While similar to "dishonest" and "deceptive", it places more emphasis on the lack of factual accuracy rather than the intent to mislead. Therefore, choosing "untruthful" helps highlight a statement's deviation from the truth. Remember, according to Ludwig AI, in some cases "inaccurate" may be more appropriate when there is no malicious intent.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

dishonest

Focuses more directly on the moral aspect of lacking honesty.

untruthful account

Specifies that the statement is a story or explanation that is not true.

mendacious

Implies a habit of telling lies.

deceptive

Emphasizes the intention to mislead.

false

A more general term indicating something is not in accordance with fact.

misleading

Suggests that something causes someone to believe something that is not true.

insincere

Highlights the lack of genuine feeling or belief.

duplicitous

Suggests deceitfulness and hypocrisy.

untrustworthy

Focuses on the lack of reliability and dependability.

fabricating

Suggests inventing false information

FAQs

How can I use "untruthful" in a sentence?

You can use "untruthful" to describe a statement, testimony, or account that contains false information. For example, "The witness provided an "untruthful testimony"." or "His "untruthful account" misled the investigators.

What's the difference between "untruthful" and "dishonest"?

"Untruthful" primarily focuses on the lack of factual accuracy in a statement or action. "Dishonest", on the other hand, emphasizes a lack of integrity and moral uprightness. While an "untruthful" statement may simply be factually incorrect, a "dishonest" statement is deliberately meant to deceive.

What are some alternatives to saying someone is "untruthful"?

Depending on the context, you could use alternatives such as "dishonest", "deceptive", "false", or "misleading". The best choice will depend on the specific nuance you want to convey.

When is it appropriate to use "untruthful" instead of "false"?

Use "untruthful" when you want to highlight that a statement or account does not align with the truth, especially when it involves a potentially deliberate misrepresentation. "False" is a more general term, while "untruthful" suggests a deviation from what is known to be true.