10 Words For Saying One Thing And Doing Another

It can be very annoying when someone has said something and done the complete opposite. It’s even more annoying when you realize just how common it is to meet these types of people. This article will explore some good words to describe these people.

The preferred words are “contradicting,” “hypocrite,” and “unreliable.” These are all great words that show that someone has a hard time sticking to what they say they will do. They might also encourage other people to do things that they would otherwise refuse themselves.

Contradicting

“Contradicting” is a great choice because it shows that someone is always looking to contradict themselves or the things they say. A contradiction is anything that means someone is saying one thing while doing the complete opposite.

People often contradict themselves for personal gain. They might make other people believe they’ll do one thing but then choose to do another because they did not see any positive results when it came to following through with the original thing.

The definition of “contradicting,” according to The Cambridge Dictionary, is “to say the opposite of what someone else has said, or (of one fact or statement) to be so different from another fact or statement that one of them must be wrong.”

You’re always so contradicting with the things you say. I wish you’d learn how to handle these situations better.
Oh, don’t listen to him. He’s always contradicting himself, so you can never trust him to actually get anything done.
I think he likes to contradict these situations. He’ll say that he’s doing something to help us, but he’ll end up doing something completely useless.

Hypocrite

“Hypocrite” is a good choice for someone who always goes against what they say. They will usually behave in a manner that works against the things they believe in, and it’s usually quite obvious for people around them to see that.

The definition of “hypocrite,” according to The Cambridge Dictionary, is “someone who says they have particular moral beliefs but behaves in a way that shows these are not sincere.”

You’re such an annoying hypocrite. Why do you never do the things that you promise you’ll get done with us?
I don’t want to keep being a hypocrite, but I really don’t like doing any of the things I suggest. Oh well!
I’m not the hypocrite here! You are! I don’t know why you’re not coming with us to do this. It was your idea, after all.

Unreliable

“Unreliable” is a great way to show that you can’t rely on someone. If they say or do something in one way, they might be unreliable if they choose to do the completely opposite thing.

Usually, they’ll try and do the opposite things when they think they’re alone, but sometimes this isn’t always possible.

The definition of “unreliable,” according to The Cambridge Dictionary, is “not able to be trusted or believed.”

You’re becoming so unreliable that I don’t even think it’s worth asking you. I’m sorry, but I think we’re done here.
You don’t have to be so unreliable with this. I don’t get your reasoning for it.

She’s unreliable, which is why so many people have stopped talking to her. You can never trust what she’ll do next.

Liar

“Liar” is a simple way to show that someone goes against their beliefs or the things they say. They will usually lie with malicious intent, which convinces other people to do things they otherwise wouldn’t do.

The definition of “liar,” according to The Cambridge Dictionary, is “someone who tells lies.”

I think it’s quite clear that you’re a liar. I know that might make you feel bad, but you never seem to stick to your guns.

Stop being a liar! We don’t want to hear about it anymore. We just want you to be able to follow through for once.
Do you have to keep being a liar? It’s not a good sign, and most of us are looking for someone else to lead the charge.

Duplicitous

“Duplicitous” works when someone deliberately lies to you or says they’re going to do one thing but end up doing another. People usually act in duplicitous ways when they want to trick someone or be dishonest for their own personal gain.

The definition of “duplicitous,” according to The Cambridge Dictionary, is “dishonest talk or behavior, especially by saying different things to two people.”

You’re very duplicitous in these situations. I get that you don’t always want to help out, but it’s really toxic behavior.
Stop her from being so duplicitous next time. We can’t keep doing everything she plans without her being here.
Do you have to be so duplicitous? It’s quite obvious what you’re trying to do. You just have to stick to your guns for once.

Double-Dealing

“Double-dealing” is another great choice. It’s synonymous with being “duplicitous,” meaning that someone always has two plans in mind whenever they say one thing. They will almost always do the other to show this secondary plan.

The definition of “double-dealing,” according to The Cambridge Dictionary, is “dishonest behavior and actions intended to deceive.”

He’s double-dealing us right now. I can tell that he’s not going to stick to this plan. He doesn’t believe in it himself.
You’re going to keep double-dealing, aren’t you? We always knew that you weren’t to be trusted, but this takes the cake.
We keep double-dealing to get out of these uncomfortable situations. It’s not ideal, but it gets the job done.

Capricious

“Capricious” works well to show that someone is constantly changing their mood. They might say they’ll do one thing because they’re in a good mood, but that mood could easily change.

If their new mood goes against how they were thinking about the first situation, they will be happy to go against it.

The definition of “capricious,” according to The Cambridge Dictionary, is “changing mood or behavior suddenly and unexpectedly.”

You’re so capricious that most of us can’t trust you. That’s why we never come to you for help anymore, I’m afraid.
I don’t mean to be so capricious, but I can’t always stick to my plans. Sometimes, better offers come up, and I can’t stop that.
You’re too capricious for your own good. I think you’re going to end up getting into a lot of trouble if you’re not careful!

Untrustworthy

“Untrustworthy” is a great choice when you want to show that someone can’t be trusted. After all, if they say one thing, and you trust them about it, they will then break your trust when they are not able to go through with it.

Whether someone chooses to go against their word or something comes up that means they have to is irrelevant. If they’ve broken your trust, this word works well.

The definition of “untrustworthy,” according to The Cambridge Dictionary, is “not able to be trusted.”

It’s clear that you’re too untrustworthy for this gig. We will look for somebody else that we know will actually do what they say.
You never do what you say. You’re always so untrustworthy, and I don’t think I can bring myself to trust you again.

I like being untrustworthy toward her. I don’t care for her at all, so if I say one thing and do the other, I really don’t care.

Unpredictable

“Unpredictable” is a great way of showing that you can never suspect what someone will do next. Even when they say they’re going to do something, they will often act in an unpredictable manner that makes it impossible for you to figure out what comes next.

The definition of “unpredictable,” according to The Cambridge Dictionary, is “likely to change suddenly and without reason and therefore not able to be predicted or depended on.”

She’s so unpredictable. I don’t think I’ve ever seen her follow through with one of her original plans. It’s really strange behavior.
I like being unpredictable. Keeping my friends on their toes is what I do best. Just wait and see what I’ve got on the table.

You’re unpredictable at the best of times. We really couldn’t come to you with this because we didn’t know how you’d respond.

Disreputable

“Disreputable” is a good choice in many cases. It shows that you cannot trust someone for the things they say. Also, if someone has broken your trust too many times to count, they might lose your respect.

A disreputable person is often someone that you cannot respect. Even if you’ve known them for a long time, you might not be able to respect them if they can no longer follow through with the things they say.

The definition of “disreputable,” according to The Cambridge Dictionary, is “not trusted or respected; thought to have a bad character.”

Being disreputable isn’t all bad. There are some perks to it, like how I never have to worry about doing something I don’t like.

I’m not disreputable deliberately. I just know that I’d rather be doing other things, and I really can’t help that.
You’re so disreputable. I don’t know how you managed to get me to be your friend, but I’m done with this.

Martin Lassen

Martin holds a Master’s degree in Finance and International Business. He has six years of experience in professional communication with clients, executives, and colleagues. Furthermore, he has teaching experience from Aarhus University. Martin has been featured as an expert in communication and teaching on Forbes and Shopify. Read more about Martin here.