belie

verb

be·lie bi-ˈlī

bē-

belied; belying

Synonyms of belie next

transitive verb

: to give a false impression of

Her gentleness belies her strength.

: to present an appearance not in agreement with

His manner and appearance belie his age.

: to show (something) to be false or wrong

The evidence belies their claims of innocence.

: to run counter to : contradict

… appeared to belie all the rosy things I had heard about it.—

Katherine T. Kinkead

: disguise sense 3

An air of rural charm … belies the community's industrial activity.—

American Guide Series: Pennsylvania

belier

bi-ˈlī(-ə)r

bē-

noun

Did you know?

"What is a lie?" asked Lord Byron in Don Juan. He then answered himself: "'Tis but the truth in masquerade...." The history of belie illustrates a certain connection between lying and disguising. In Old English, belie meant "to deceive by lying," and, in time, was used to mean "to tell lies about," taking on a sense similar to that of the modern word slander. Eventually, its meaning softened, shifting from an act of outright lying to one of mere misrepresentation, and by the early 1700s, the word was being used in the sense "to disguise or conceal." Nowadays, belie suggests giving an impression at variance with the facts rather than telling an intentional untruth.

Examples of belie in a Sentence

a tree whose delicate beauty belies its real toughness Their actions belie their claim to be innocent.

Recent Examples on the Web The vividness of Liszt’s imprint belies the vagueness of his identity. —

Alex Ross, The New Yorker, 4 Sep. 2023 The tiny size and sleepy nature of Cedar Key belies its outsize role in Florida’s aquaculture industry. —

Stephanie Castellano, The Christian Science Monitor, 1 Sep. 2023 Their vibrant yellow hue belies their creative inner life, but buttercups are known for blending into the background with their sophisticated structure and design. —

Kate McGregor, House Beautiful, 31 Aug. 2023 The brick and zinc exterior facing Grand Avenue belies a spacious yet intimate concert hall at its center, around which orbit several smaller recital halls and dance studios. —

Shane Reiner-Roth, Los Angeles Times, 29 Aug. 2023 Still, the coverage of strikes and an administration that touts its pro-labor bona fides belies the fact that union membership numbers are falling nationally. —

Fatima Hussein, Fortune, 29 Aug. 2023 The boxy styling belies the confidence afforded by the independent front suspension and five-link rear axle, a layout quite similar to the sixth-generation Bronco that Ford revived for 2021. —

Michael Van Runkle, Robb Report, 29 Aug. 2023 Though the Mirage's body style belies additional versatility, the little Mitsu's stubby shape and small size mean there's only so much space to work with. —

Greg S. Fink, Car and Driver, 16 Aug. 2023 Glasner had already been grappling with how to change a system that seemed to belie the community’s values. —

Laura Meckler, Washington Post, 16 Aug. 2023 See More

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