Epärehellinen

Epärehellinen is a Finnish adjective meaning untrustworthy or dishonest. It describes people, statements, or actions that lack honesty or integrity and is generally used to convey a strong judgment about truthfulness.

Etymology and form: The word is formed from the negative prefix epä- meaning “not” attached to rehellinen, meaning “honest.” It follows standard Finnish adjective inflection and is used to modify nouns or function as a predicate. The comparative form is epärehellisempi and the superlative epärehellisin.

Usage and nuance: Epärehellinen carries a stronger connotation than some related terms such as epäluotettava (unreliable) or vilpillinen (deceitful). It implies deliberate deception or a substantial breach of trust, rather than mere error or unreliability. It can describe a claim, a person, or a broader action or behavior. In discourse, it is common in journalism, politics, and opinion writing as a strong evaluative descriptor.

Examples: Hän on epärehellinen. Tämä väite on epärehellinen. Tämä väite on epärehellisempi kuin edellinen. Hänen toimintansa koettiin epärehellisenä toimenpiteenä.

Related terms and contrasts: Epärehellinen is closely linked to, but stronger than, epäluotettava and vilpillinen. The opposite term is rehellinen (honest).

See also: Finnish adjective derivation, prefix epä-, honesty and trustworthiness in language.