unehrliche

Unehrliche is a German adjective meaning dishonest or dishonorable. It describes persons, acts, or statements that lack honesty, integrity, or upright conduct. The term is commonly used in everyday language, journalism, and literature, and it often carries a pejorative or condemnatory nuance. Its antonym is ehrlich, meaning honest or honorable; related concepts include integrity and trustworthiness.

Etymology and usage: Unehrliche is formed from ehrlich (honest) with the negating prefix un-, a pattern found in many German antonyms. The word is inflected according to gender, number, and case when used attributively or predicatively. Examples include: ein unehrlicher Mann, eine unehrliche Frau, unehrliche Handlungen. Predicative use does not change the form beyond normal agreement: Die Tat war unehrlich. The term can also function in noun form: Unehrlichkeit means dishonesty or lack of integrity, and the noun can appear as der Unehrliche (the dishonest person) in more literary or formal contexts.

Related terms and nuances: Unehrliche language or claims are often described as unaufrichtig or falsch, while unlauter denotes unfair or unsportsmanlike conduct. The word is generally negative and is typically avoided in formal or cautious discourse unless clarity requires a strong evaluation of truthfulness. See also: ehrlich, Unehrlichkeit, unlautert.