belie

verb

be·​lie bi-ˈlī 

bē-

belied; belying

transitive verb

1

a

: to give a false impression of

Her gentleness belies her strength.

b

: to present an appearance not in agreement with

His manner and appearance belie his age.

2

a

: to show (something) to be false or wrong

The evidence belies their claims of innocence.

b

: to run counter to : contradict

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

—Katherine T. Kinkead

3

: 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?" asks Lord Byron in Don Juan. He then answers himself: "'Tis but the truth in masquerade...." The history of belie illustrates a certain connection between lying and masquerading as something other than one is. In Old English, belie meant "to deceive by lying," but in time, it came 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; by the 1700s, the word was being used in the sense "to disguise or conceal." Nowadays, belie is typically applied when someone or something gives an impression that is in disagreement with the facts, rather than in contexts where there is an intentional untruth. A happy face put on to set others at ease, for example, may belie an internal disgruntlement.

Synonyms

• misrepresent
• conceal
• obscure

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 quartet, who are all in their early 20s, possess a confidence and adventurous spirit that belies their infancy as a unit. —Sophie Williams, Billboard, 28 Oct. 2025

The relatively modest roadside location of Freestone’s Wild Flour Bread belies the level of quality that keeps regulars coming back for more. —AFAR Media, 25 Oct. 2025

Some complain that the boisterous, anthemic version on the album belies the cynical point of view of a Vietnam veteran. —Bill Goodykoontz, AZCentral.com, 24 Oct. 2025

This belies the question of whether those who are looking to deliver punishment are acting in good faith, a concern that became part of the appeals court decision in the El Salvador case and has subsequently been raised in other courtrooms as well. —JSTOR Daily, 23 Oct. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English belien, going back to Old English belēogan, from be- be- + lēogan "to lie entry 3"

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Rhymes for belie

• ai
• aye
• bae
• bi
• buy
• by
• bye
• chai
• chi
• cry
• die
• dry

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Kids Definition

belie

verb

be·​lie bi-ˈlī 

belied; belying

1

: to give a false idea of

her looks belied her age

2

: to show to be false

their actions belie their claim to be innocent

belier noun