disingenuous
disingenuous
Definition
dis·in·genu·ous (dis′in jen′yo̵̅o̅ əs)
adjective
- not straightforward; not candid or frank; insincere
- slyly deceptive or misleading, typically by means of a pretense of ignorance or unawareness
Related Forms:
- disingenuously dis′·in·gen′u·ously adverb
- disingenuousness dis′·in·gen′u·ous·ness noun
disingenuous
Synonyms
disingenuous
modif.
disingenuous
Usage Examples
Preposition: in
- extreme: For Lilian Yates to call the parking attendants ' behavior ' disgusting ' is disingenuous in the extreme.
Infinitive complement
- suggest: It is naive or disingenuous to suggest that he will ever be tried in our country.
- say: This is, of course, disingenuous to say the least.
- claim: Furthermore, it would be disingenuous to claim this sort of improvement in every case even on the scanners of the day.
- argue: Moreover, it is completely disingenuous to argue that GM technology is being promoted to support developing countries.
- pretend: It would be disingenuous to pretend that these opposing views are in any way reconcilable.
- imply: It would be disingenuous to imply that such funds would solve the problem in education.
Modifying Another Word
- somewhat: Somewhat disingenuous of him then to encourage UK farmers to plant a crop for which he knows there is no domestic market.
- slightly: However, the Government were slightly disingenuous in saying, " All of this is happening anyway under these various other Acts.
- rather: In light of this, Sir Ian's explanation for the project's two-year overrun sounds rather disingenuous.
- little: Don't you think you are being just a little disingenuous?
- deliberately: I think here Kevin is being deliberately disingenuous; however, his other point is valid.
- extremely: You have to be pretty thick not to see through all this - or extremely disingenuous.
Used with adjective complement
- appear: Cllr Eades appears somewhat disingenuous in his argument that Creekmoor is a perfect location - Mannings Heath would be just as well placed.
- sound: This, I know, sounds disingenuous, but it's true, this was a book not written to be published.
Modifies a noun
- statement: Reid must not be allowed to get away with his disingenuous statements about ' deterrence ' , diverting attention from the real threats.
- argument: Now Sean is a literate man, and will have read the motion he was opposing, so this is clearly a disingenuous argument.
- way: Surely we should stick to the issues and avoid aping Labor and its disingenuous ways.
- answer: This same question, repeatedly asked between November, 1940 and April 1941, was invariably met with disingenuous answers.
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