dishonest speech

[/dɪsˈɑːnɪst spiːtʃ/]
nounpl: dishonest speeches
discurso desonesto
1. Speech or communication that is intentionally false, misleading, or designed to deceive; utterances that lack truthfulness or integrity
The politician's dishonest speech misled voters about his true intentions.
O discurso desonesto do político enganou os eleitores sobre suas verdadeiras intenções.
2. Any verbal communication made with the deliberate intent to distort facts or conceal the truth
Her dishonest speech at the meeting damaged her credibility with colleagues.
Seu discurso desonesto na reunião prejudicou sua credibilidade com os colegas.
In Brazilian culture, 'papo furado' (literally 'hollow talk') is an extremely common colloquial term for dishonest or empty speech, often used in casual conversation. In the US, dishonest speech in political contexts is frequently criticized as undermining democratic discourse. The term has become more prominent in both cultures with increased media scrutiny of public figures' statements.
NYC Slang
cap / straight up BS / wolf tickets
Synonyms / Sinônimos
falsehooddeceptive speechuntruthful remarksfraudulent speechmendacious discourseduplicitous speech
Antonyms / Antônimos
honest speechtruthful remarkssincere discoursecandid speechforthright communication

Regional Variations

General Brazilian
discurso desonesto
Standard formal usage
Rio de Janeiro
papo furado / discurso enganoso
More colloquial; 'papo furado' is very common informal term
São Paulo
discurso enganador
Business and formal contexts
Portugal
discurso desonesto / fala enganadora
European Portuguese variant; similar formal usage

Related Words

dishonestydeceptionliefalsehoodmendacityfraud

Related Idioms & Phrases

to speak with forked tongue
to tell tall tales
to pull the wool over someone's eyes
falar com a língua de duas pontas (Portuguese)
contar vantagem (Portuguese)
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