Words / C2

men-DAYSH-uh-s/menˈdeɪʃəs/

Mendacious means lying, of people or statements (formal): a mendacious claim, a mendacious brief. False and untrue are everyday; lying is blunter. Mendacity is the noun. Mend is repair — a lookalike. Do not call an honest mistake mendacious.

Meaning

Not telling the truth; lying (formal).

Examples

• “A mendacious press note claimed “full consultation” after a two-line email.”
• “The mendacious note said “full consultation” after a two-line all-staff mail.”
• “A false figure can be a slip; a mendacious figure was offered as true. Noun: mendacity. Mix-up: mend (repair).”

Good to know

Lying (formal). Noun: mendacity. Everyday: false / untrue. Mix-up: mend. An error is not automatically a lie.

Near in meaning

untrue

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