Synonym Chooser

How does the verb palter differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of palter are equivocate, fib, lie, and prevaricate. While all these words mean "to tell an untruth," palter implies making unreliable statements of fact or intention or insincere promises.

a swindler paltering with his investors

When is equivocate a more appropriate choice than palter?

While the synonyms equivocate and palter are close in meaning, equivocate implies using words having more than one sense so as to seem to say one thing but intend another.

equivocated endlessly in an attempt to mislead her inquisitors

When is it sensible to use fib instead of palter?

The words fib and palter are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, fib applies to a telling of a trivial untruth.

fibbed about the price of the new suit

When can lie be used instead of palter?

Although the words lie and palter have much in common, lie is the blunt term, imputing dishonesty.

lied about where he had been

How do prevaricate and lie relate to one another, in the sense of palter?

Prevaricate softens the bluntness of lie by implying quibbling or confusing the issue.

during the hearings the witness did his best to prevaricate

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of palter Another subtype is paltering, where the models use a selective true statement to mislead the human. IEEE Spectrum, 12 Aug. 2025 Rather than wait to share the witches’ paltering pronouncements with Lady M (Indira Varma) in person, the thane of Glamis chooses to send word to his wife in advance of his return from battle. Rhoda Feng, Washington Post, 14 Apr. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for palter
Verb
  • This comes after Hamas and Israel have exchanged surviving hostages and prisoners in the first phase of a ceasefire deal for the war in Gaza.
    NPR, NPR, 15 Oct. 2025
  • The theft dealt a significant operational and financial blow and the company shuttered operations in mid-2025.
    Rhonda Richford, Footwear News, 14 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • The White House has not yet negotiated lower prices on IVF drugs from other manufacturers.
    Aria Bendix, NBC news, 16 Oct. 2025
  • The only long-term solution — in my view — is a Palestinian state in Gaza and the West Bank whose borders are negotiated with Israel.
    Thomas L. Friedman, Mercury News, 16 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • The players argued the league refused to credibly bargain a new CBA by demanding terms that would mean less money shared with players.
    Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 7 Oct. 2025
  • With Newsom’s signature now on AB 1340, drivers can collectively bargain and unionize, including negotiating contracts, which would set industry-wide standards, according to proponents like bill sponsors Assemblymembers Marc Berman, D-Menlo Park, and Buffy Wicks, D-Oakland.
    David Lightman, Sacbee.com, 6 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • With the Constitution in final form, few had the appetite to haggle over the provisions of a bill of rights.
    Donald Nieman, The Conversation, 7 Oct. 2025
  • During that period, the most significant reform related to drug pricing came in the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, which empowered Medicare to haggle prices with drug companies.
    John Cassidy, New Yorker, 6 Oct. 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Palter.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/palter. Accessed 21 Oct. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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