insincere

1 of 2

adjective

in·​sin·​cere ˌin-sin-ˈsir How to pronounce insincere (audio)
-sən-
Synonyms of insincere
: not expressing or showing true feelings : not sincere
insincere praise/flattery
an insincere apology
The work is done despite the distractions of the skeptics and the insincere promises of slippery politicians.—Kent Sepkowitz
insincerely adverb
smiling insincerely
insincerity
ˌin-sin-ˈser-ə-tē How to pronounce insincere (audio)
also -ˈsir-
noun
the insincerity of their apologies

insincerity

2 of 2

noun

in·​sincerity "+ How to pronounce insincerity (audio)
1
: the quality or state of being insincere
the patent insincerity of his answer
2
: something that is insincere
forgiving her evasions and insincerities

Synonyms of insincere

Relevance

Adjective

See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

Examples of insincere in a Sentence

Adjective He said he was sorry, but I could tell that he was being insincere. the insincere compliments of a spiteful gossip
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Adjective
The implication is that stage types and progressive politicians are craven, submissive, and insincere. — Erik Forrest Jackson, The Atlantic, 22 Aug. 2026 Survivors have expressed frustration and criticized the Japanese government's support for nuclear deterrence for being insincere. — ABC News, 9 Aug. 2026 Survivors have expressed frustration and criticized the Japanese government’s support for nuclear deterrence for being insincere. — Mari Yamaguchi, Chicago Tribune, 9 Aug. 2026 Not everyone believes, however, that the line is insincere. — Jackie Wattles, CNN Money, 24 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for insincere

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Latin insincerus, from in- + sincerus sincere

Noun

Latin insincerus insincere + English -ity

First Known Use

Adjective

1634, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of insincere was in 1634

Rhymes for insincere

See All Rhymes for insincere

Browse Nearby Words

insimplicity
insincere
insincerity
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Insincere.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/insincere. Accessed 25 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

insincere

adjective
in·​sin·​cere ˌin(t)-sin-ˈsi(ə)r How to pronounce insincere (audio)
: not sincere : hypocritical
insincerely adverb
insincerity
-ˈser-ət-ē How to pronounce insincere (audio)
also -ˈsir-
noun
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of tilde

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

How to Pronounce the Trickiest Menu Items

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List

Even More Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

The Words of the Week - Aug. 21

16 Glee-ridden Words from Schitt's Creek
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
alt-684346df967d5
Add A Letter Quiz Pick the letter that goes in the same spot in fou...
See All