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disingenuous

American  
[dis-in-jen-yoo-uhs] / ˌdɪs ɪnˈdʒɛn yu əs /

adjective

  1. lacking in frankness, candor, or sincerity; falsely or hypocritically ingenuous; insincere.

    Her excuse was rather disingenuous.
disingenuous British  
/ ˌdɪsɪnˈdʒɛnjʊəs /

adjective

  1. not sincere; lacking candour

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

  • disingenuously adverb
  • disingenuousness noun
  • nondisingenuous adjective
  • nondisingenuously adverb
  • nondisingenuousness noun

Etymology

Origin of disingenuous

First recorded in 1645–55; dis- 1 + ingenuous

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

“But it would be disingenuous to pretend AI doesn’t change the mix of skills we need or the number of roles required in certain areas. It does,” he added.

From Barron's • Mar. 12, 2026

That has some traction with some lawyers, although Salahuddin Ahmed, a Karachi-based lawyer in the Supreme Court, sees that argument as disingenuous.

From BBC • Nov. 14, 2025

That’s not to say that the movie feels disingenuous; it’s brimming with earnestness, but fervor can be easily mistaken for fanfare.

From Salon • Nov. 7, 2025

Could the same be said of a disingenuous essayist?

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 28, 2025

Their very names were disingenuous, and told you nothing about their contents, their creators, or their managers: Carina, Gemstone, Octans III, Glacier Funding.

From "The Big Short" by Michael Lewis

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.