What does dishonorable mean?
Dishonorable is an adjective used to describe people, actions, or behavior that lack honor, integrity, or moral principle, or that bring shame and disgrace upon those involved. It is a strong term of condemnation: calling an act dishonorable implies not merely that it was wrong, but that it violated a code of ethics or personal decency. The word appears frequently in formal settings — a service member may receive a 'dishonorable discharge,' the most severe form of punitive separation from the military, while public figures may be accused of 'dishonorable conduct.' Its negative prefix 'dis-' reverses the meaning of 'honorable,' making the contrast between the two especially stark. In British English it is spelled 'dishonourable.' Synonyms such as disgraceful, shameful, and ignoble convey similar disapproval, though 'dishonorable' retains a distinctly formal, often institutional tone.
adjectiveBringing shame, disgrace, or a loss of honor; lacking integrity or moral principles in conduct.
- Lacking honor or integrity; shameful or disgraceful in character or conduct.
- (Of an action or event) bringing disgrace or loss of reputation.
"The general was stripped of his rank for the dishonorable conduct uncovered during the inquiry."
"He was given a dishonorable discharge after the court-martial."
"She refused to take part in what she saw as a dishonorable scheme to defraud investors."
In the US military, a dishonorable discharge is the harshest punishment short of prison — it strips veterans of all benefits and can legally brand them for life.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of dishonorable
Dishonorable entered English in the late Middle Ages, derived from the Old French 'deshonourable,' which itself traces back to Latin roots built on 'honor' (esteem, dignity, official distinction). The negative prefix 'dis-' attaches to 'honorable' to reverse its sense, a pattern shared by many English words of Latin origin. It is closely related etymologically to 'honest,' which descends from the same Latin family ('honestus,' from 'honor'). The British variant 'dishonourable' preserves the French-influenced '-our-' spelling retained throughout British English.
Related word forms
How dishonorable is actually used
Standard spelling is 'dishonorable' in American English and 'dishonourable' in British English. The word carries strongly negative connotations and appears most often in formal contexts — military, legal, and ethical discourse — rather than casual conversation.
Easily confused with dishonorable
'Dishonoured' is simply the British spelling of the past tense of the verb 'dishonour' (to bring disgrace to), while 'dishonorable' is an adjective describing something that lacks honor.