30+ Similes for Untrustworthy Dark Yet Clever Lines

Similes for untrustworthy behavior help writers and readers clearly express deceit, dishonesty, and hidden intentions using vivid and memorable comparisons.

In everyday conversations, storytelling, academic writing, and creative content, describing someone who cannot be relied on often requires strong figurative language that instantly paints a picture in the reader’s mind.

These similes make abstract traits like false loyalty, double-dealing, and unreliability easier to understand and more impactful. Whether you are improving an essay, crafting dialogue, or enhancing descriptive writing, the right simile adds clarity, emotional depth, and precision. Readers searching for expressive language often want examples that feel natural, relatable, and powerful, not confusing or outdated.

What Is a Simile?

A simile is a figure of speech that directly compares two unlike things using “like” or “as.”
It helps explain feelings or traits by linking them to familiar images, making ideas easier to understand and more impactful.

Full List of Similes for Untrustworthy

Bold as a snake in the grass

Meaning: Someone who hides their true intentions.
Definition: A person who appears harmless but plans harm secretly.
Examples:
• He smiled kindly, but he was as a snake in the grass.
• Her promises felt like a snake in the grass, ready to strike.

Bold as slippery as an eel

Meaning: Hard to trust or pin down.
Definition: Someone who avoids honesty and responsibility.
Examples:
• He escaped blame, slippery as an eel.
• Her answers were like an eel, never clear.

Bold like a fox guarding the henhouse

Meaning: Pretending to protect while planning harm.
Definition: Someone given trust they don’t deserve.
Examples:
• Letting him handle money was like a fox guarding the henhouse.
• She smiled sweetly, like a fox guarding the hens.

Bold as two-faced as a coin

Meaning: Showing different sides to different people.
Definition: A person who changes behavior based on advantage.
Examples:
• He’s friendly in public, two-faced as a coin.
• Her loyalty flips like a coin.

Bold like quicksand underfoot

Meaning: Dangerous once you rely on them.
Definition: Someone whose support causes harm.
Examples:
• Trusting him felt like stepping into quicksand.
• Their help was quicksand underfoot.

Bold as hollow as a drum

Meaning: Looks solid but empty inside.
Definition: A person lacking sincerity.
Examples:
• His promises were as hollow as a drum.
• Her apology echoed like a drum.

Bold like a mirage in the desert

Meaning: Appears real but isn’t.
Definition: False hope or fake honesty.
Examples:
• His loyalty was like a desert mirage.
• Trust faded like a mirage.

Bold as thin as ice

Meaning: Trust that can break anytime.
Definition: A risky relationship.
Examples:
• Our deal was as thin as ice.
• Her honesty cracked like ice.

Bold like a wolf in sheep’s clothing

Meaning: Hiding evil behind kindness.
Definition: A deceptive person.
Examples:
• He acts kind, a wolf in sheep’s clothing.
• Her smile hid claws like a wolf.

Bold as fake as plastic gold

Meaning: Completely dishonest.
Definition: Someone pretending to be valuable.
Examples:
• His words were fake as plastic gold.
• Her loyalty shined like plastic gold.

Bold like smoke in the wind

Meaning: Impossible to hold onto.
Definition: Someone unreliable.
Examples:
• His promises vanished like smoke.
• Trust drifted in the wind.

Bold as cracked glass

Meaning: Already broken trust.
Definition: A person damaged by lies.
Examples:
• Our friendship was as cracked as glass.
• Her honesty shattered like glass.

Bold like a borrowed mask

Meaning: Pretending to be someone else.
Definition: A false personality.
Examples:
• His kindness felt like a borrowed mask.
• She hides truth behind a mask.

Bold as shifting sand

Meaning: Constantly changing.
Definition: A person with no stability.
Examples:
• His loyalty was shifting sand.
• Trust sank like sand.

Bold like a rusted lock

Meaning: Can’t be relied on.
Definition: A broken promise keeper.
Examples:
• His word was like a rusted lock.
• Trust jammed like old metal.

Bold as cold as ice

Meaning: Emotionally dishonest.
Definition: Someone lacking empathy.
Examples:
• Her apology was cold as ice.
• He lied without warmth.

Bold like a broken compass

Meaning: Leads people the wrong way.
Definition: Someone giving false guidance.
Examples:
• Trusting him was like a broken compass.
• His advice misled everyone.

Bold as dark as a shadow

Meaning: Always hiding truth.
Definition: A secretive person.
Examples:
• His past was dark as a shadow.
• Lies followed like shadows.

Bold like a leaky boat

Meaning: Slowly causing harm.
Definition: A person who fails over time.
Examples:
• Trust sank like a leaky boat.
• His honesty leaked daily.

Bold as crooked as a bent nail

Meaning: Morally dishonest.
Definition: Someone who cuts corners.
Examples:
• His ethics were crooked as a nail.
• Lies twisted everything.

Bold like a frayed rope

Meaning: Ready to snap anytime.
Definition: Weak trust.
Examples:
• Our bond was like a frayed rope.
• Trust snapped suddenly.

Bold as false as an echo

Meaning: Repeats but lacks truth.
Definition: Empty words.
Examples:
• His apologies were false as echoes.
• Promises echoed without meaning.

Bold like a foggy mirror

Meaning: Can’t see clearly.
Definition: Confusing honesty.
Examples:
• His motives were like a foggy mirror.
• Truth blurred quickly.

Bold as loose as shifting gears

Meaning: Inconsistent behavior.
Definition: Unreliable character.
Examples:
• His loyalty changed like loose gears.
• Trust slipped every time.

Bold like a poisoned apple

Meaning: Attractive but harmful.
Definition: A dangerous person.
Examples:
• His offer was like a poisoned apple.
• Sweet words hid danger.

Bold as empty as a promise

Meaning: Words without action.
Definition: Someone who never delivers.
Examples:
• His vow was empty as a promise.
• Hope faded fast.

Bold like a cracked mirror

Meaning: Distorted truth.
Definition: Someone who twists facts.
Examples:
• His story was like a cracked mirror.
• Truth reflected wrongly.

Bold as unstable as a house of cards

Meaning: Built on lies.
Definition: Weak foundation of trust.
Examples:
• His honesty fell like a house of cards.
• Lies collapsed instantly.

Bold like a silent alarm

Meaning: Danger without warning.
Definition: Betrayal that comes quietly.
Examples:
• His betrayal rang like a silent alarm.
• Trust broke suddenly.

Using These Similes to Level Up Your Writing

These similes can make your poems, stories, songs, essays, and speeches more expressive.
Use them to:

• Show betrayal without directly saying it
• Add emotion to characters
• Strengthen metaphors and imagery
• Make writing relatable and memorable

Sprinkle them naturally to avoid overuse and keep your tone authentic.

FAQs About Similes for Untrustworthy

What are similes for untrustworthy people?

They are comparisons using “like” or “as” to describe dishonesty creatively.

Why are similes better than plain words?

They create vivid images and emotional impact.

Can similes improve creative writing?

Yes, they enhance storytelling and reader engagement.

Are these similes good for essays?

Absolutely, especially in descriptive or narrative writing.

How many similes should I use?

Use a few strong ones instead of too many.

Conclusion

Similes help turn simple ideas into powerful expressions.

These similes for untrustworthy people give writers a creative way to describe dishonesty, betrayal, and doubt.

By using them wisely, your writing becomes more vivid, emotional, and memorable.

Try adding a few to your next poem, story, or essay and watch your words gain strength and impact.