Retrograde journalist cut file into pieces, being dishonest (9)
I believe the answer is:
deceitful
'dishonest' is the definition.
(similar in meaning)
'retrograde journalist cut file into pieces' is the wordplay.
'retrograde' is a reversal indicator.
'journalist' becomes 'ed' (short for editor).
'into pieces' indicates an anagram (I've seen this in other clues).
'ed' back-to-front is 'de'.
'cut'+'file'='cutfile'
'cutfile' anagrammed gives 'ceitful'.
'de'+'ceitful'='DECEITFUL'
'being' acts as a link.
(Other definitions for deceitful that I've seen before include "Dishonest" , "Untruthful" , "unreliable" , "Sly" , "Deliberately misleading" .)