Disingenuous
Not candid or sincere; intentionally pretending to be naive or harmless in order to mislead others.
adjectiveDisingenuous
Not candid or sincere; intentionally pretending to be naive or harmless in order to mislead others.
adjectiveImagine This
Imagine a coworker who smiles and nods at every suggestion in a meeting, then quietly acts on a plan that contradicts what they just seemed to support.
Sounds Like
dis-in-JEN-yoo-uhs
Looks Like
Resembles ingenuous (naive) but with the dis- prefix, signaling the opposite.
Remember This
Disingenuous is the opposite of ingenuous. It is often confused with ingenious due to similar spelling; disingenuous refers to insincerity, not cleverness.
Other Forms
Connect With
insincere, deceitful, duplicitous, hypocritical; contrast with ingenuous, sincere, candid
Note
Use disingenuous to describe deliberate insincerity or feigned innocence aimed at manipulation. Do not confuse with 'disingenuous' meaning merely 'not straightforward' in casual speech; it typically carries a sense of deceit.
Study Deeper
- The politician's apology sounded disingenuous, as if he were blaming others while avoiding accountability.
- Her disingenuous questions gave the impression she was listening, but she already had her own agenda.
From dis- (not) + ingenuous (naive, candid); ingenuous itself comes from the Latin ingenuus 'freeborn, noble', later evolving to mean candid or naive.
DIS-INGENUOUS = not ingenuous. Picture a person wearing a naive smile as a disguise to hide real motives; they are not ingenuous at all.
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Erudition
nounExtensive knowledge acquired through reading and study; scholarly learning.
Subtle
adjectiveNot obvious or easily noticed; delicate and precise, requiring careful thought to notice or understand.
Sonorous
adjectiveHaving a deep, full, and rich sound; capable of producing a resonant, impressive tone in voice or instrument.
Similar Words
Related words and words with the same part of speech.
Duplicitous
adjectiveGiven to, marked by, or characterized by deception and double-dealing; presenting one set of truths to some people and a different set to others.
Candid
adjectiveTruthful and straightforward; frank, open, and not rehearsed.
Abstruse
adjectiveDifficult to understand; obscure or highly complex.
Accidental
adjectiveHappening by chance or without deliberate planning; not intended. In music, it is also a noun for a symbol that temporarily alters a pitch.
Acerbic
adjectiveSharp or biting in tone or taste; caustic or mordant in manner.
Acquiescent
adjectiveReady to agree or approve without protest; compliant.