mendacious

/men'deiʃəs/

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Word: Mendacious

Part of Speech: Adjective

Definition: The word "mendacious" describes something that is not true or is intentionally lying. If someone is mendacious, it means they are being dishonest or deceptive.

Usage Instructions:

• "Mendacious" is often used to describe statements, claims, or people who are known to lie.
• It is a formal word, so it is more common in written English, especially in literature, journalism, or academic contexts.

Examples:

1. Simple Example: "The mendacious politician made promises he never intended to keep."
2. In Context: "She told a mendacious story about her achievements, hoping to impress the committee."

Advanced Usage:

• You can use "mendacious" to discuss behavior in legal or ethical discussions, such as in court cases where honesty is critical.

Word Variants:

• Mendacity (noun): The quality of being mendacious; a tendency to lie.
  • Example: "His mendacity made it hard for anyone to trust him."
• Mendaciously (adverb): In a dishonest manner.
  • Example: "She spoke mendaciously, concealing the truth."

Different Meanings:

• While "mendacious" specifically refers to lying or deception, it can also imply being insincere. It does not have other meanings outside of this context.

Synonyms:

• Dishonest
• Deceptive
• Lying
• Untruthful
• Fraudulent

Related Idioms and Phrasal Verbs:

• "To pull the wool over someone's eyes": This idiom means to deceive someone or make them believe something that is not true.

  • Example: "He tried to pull the wool over our eyes with his mendacious claims."

• "To tell a fib": This is a casual way of saying to tell a small lie. While not as strong as "mendacious," it conveys dishonesty.

  • Example: "He told a fib about his age."

Summary:

In summary, "mendacious" is a formal adjective used to describe lies or dishonesty. It is important to use it in contexts where you want to emphasize the intentional nature of the untruth.

Academic

Adjective

1. intentionally untrue
   • a mendacious statement
2. given to lying
   • a mendacious child