disingenuous
adjective
dis·in·gen·u·ous
ˌdis-in-ˈjen-yə-wəs 
-yü-əs
: lacking in candor
also
: giving a false appearance of simple frankness : calculating
disingenuously
adverb
disingenuousness
noun
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A disingenuous remark might contain some superficial truth, but it is delivered with the intent to deceive or to serve some hidden purpose. Its base word ingenuous (derived from a Latin adjective meaning "native" or "freeborn") can describe someone who, like a child, is innocent or lacking guile or craftiness. English speakers began frequently joining the negative prefix dis- with ingenuous to create disingenuous during the 17th century.
Examples of disingenuous in a Sentence
"It's had nine murders since 1937—about the same as you would get in many small towns." This was correct, but a wee disingenuous. The AT [Appalachian Trail] had no murders in its first thirty-six years and nine in the past twenty-two.
—
Bill Bryson, A Walk in the Woods, 1999
… and he egged Badger on, asking a disingenuous question about the antivivisection rally in Cleveland, and as Badger took the thought up and chewed it over, the Doctor made as if to excuse himself.
—T. Coraghessan Boyle, The Road to Wellville, 1993
… he has a disingenuous way of resorting to slang when he wants to make a big point but is afraid of sounding pretentious.
—Karen Schoemer, New York Times Book Review, 31 Oct. 1993
Unity is at best an ideal, at worst a disingenuous political slogan.
—Salman Rushdie, The Independent on Sunday, 25 Nov. 1990
Her recent expressions of concern are self-serving and disingenuous.
Bill Bryson, A Walk in the Woods, 1999
… and he egged Badger on, asking a disingenuous question about the antivivisection rally in Cleveland, and as Badger took the thought up and chewed it over, the Doctor made as if to excuse himself.
—T. Coraghessan Boyle, The Road to Wellville, 1993
… he has a disingenuous way of resorting to slang when he wants to make a big point but is afraid of sounding pretentious.
—Karen Schoemer, New York Times Book Review, 31 Oct. 1993
Unity is at best an ideal, at worst a disingenuous political slogan.
—Salman Rushdie, The Independent on Sunday, 25 Nov. 1990
Her recent expressions of concern are self-serving and disingenuous.
Recent Examples on the Web
Responding fairly swiftly to that letter from Team Baldoni’s Schuster this morning, Lively’s attorney Michael Gottlieb argues in his four-page letter Tuesday that the other side has been disingenuous in its correspondence and actions over this latest issue – and more.
—Dominic Patten, Deadline, 25 Feb. 2025
Azerbaijan has also tried to bully and threaten its way into disingenuous peace deals with Armenia while plotting with Turkey, a key ally, in taking sovereign lands away from Armenia including the Zangezur Corridor, a vital trade route located between the two countries.
—Josh Hammer, Newsweek, 17 Feb. 2025
McNally said these accolades can sometimes feel too generic and that can then feel disingenuous, even when they’re kindly meant.
—Channon Hodge, CNN, 1 Feb. 2025
The practice is now impeded by ever more protective drone squadrons of P.R. people, although Prince Andrew’s ruinous television interview is a prime example—the disingenuous reporter meets the insufficiently self-aware subject, and blood is spilled.
—Adam Gopnik, The New Yorker, 10 Feb. 2025
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Dominic Patten, Deadline, 25 Feb. 2025
Azerbaijan has also tried to bully and threaten its way into disingenuous peace deals with Armenia while plotting with Turkey, a key ally, in taking sovereign lands away from Armenia including the Zangezur Corridor, a vital trade route located between the two countries.
—Josh Hammer, Newsweek, 17 Feb. 2025
McNally said these accolades can sometimes feel too generic and that can then feel disingenuous, even when they’re kindly meant.
—Channon Hodge, CNN, 1 Feb. 2025
The practice is now impeded by ever more protective drone squadrons of P.R. people, although Prince Andrew’s ruinous television interview is a prime example—the disingenuous reporter meets the insufficiently self-aware subject, and blood is spilled.
—Adam Gopnik, The New Yorker, 10 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for disingenuous
Articles Related to disingenuous
Cite this Entry
“Disingenuous.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/disingenuous. Accessed 3 Mar. 2025.
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