lying

1 of 2

adjective

ly·​ing ˈlī-iŋ How to pronounce lying (audio)
: marked by or containing untrue statements : false
a lying account of the accident

lying

2 of 2

present participle of lie

Examples of lying in a Sentence

Adjective that lying son of a gun told me that the used car had never been in an accident
Recent Examples on the Web
Adjective
He was found dead lying face up on his hotel bed with no signs of trauma, according to a Monday report from the Orange County Sheriff’s Office in Florida. Kenan Draughorne, Los Angeles Times, 14 Jan. 2022

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'lying.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Middle English leghynge, present participle of lien to lie

First Known Use

Adjective

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of lying was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near lying

Cite this Entry

“Lying.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lying. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

lying

1 of 2
ly·​ing
ˈlī-iŋ

present participle of lie

lying

2 of 2 adjective
: untruthful, false
a lying account of the accident

Legal Definition

lying

present participle of lie

More from Merriam-Webster on lying

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