Vocabulary Builder — Essay & Answer Writing
Mendacity
noun
/ men-DAS-i-tee /
Hard
Meaning
The tendency to be dishonest or untruthful; habitual lying or deliberate misrepresentation of facts
Origin / Etymology
Latin mendacitas — from mendax meaning 'lying, false'; rooted in mendum, 'a fault or defect'
Synonyms
Dishonesty
Falsehood
Deception
Prevarication
Untruthfulness
Antonyms
Veracity
Honesty
Truthfulness
Example Sentence
"The Committee on Estimates noted that corporate mendacity in reporting environmental compliance data had severely hampered the Ministry's ability to enforce pollution norms."
🎯 UPSC Usage
Use in GS-4 (ethics) answers on integrity in public service, corporate governance, and transparency. Pairs well with concepts like 'probity in governance' and 'right to information'. Also fits GS-2 answers on electoral disinformation, fake news, and the need for a robust fact-checking ecosystem.
Relevant Subjects