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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
Polity
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