falsehood

noun

false·​hood ˈfȯls-ˌhu̇d 

1

: an untrue statement : lie

spreading falsehoods about his opponent

2

: absence of truth or accuracy

The falsehood of this narrative made it no less effective.

—Peniel E. Joseph

3

: the practice of lying : mendacity

… Thomas Jefferson … accused the press of engaging in "falsehood and defamation" while covering his administration.

—Albert R. Hunt

Synonyms of falsehood

• delusion
• myth
• error
• illusion

Examples of falsehood in a Sentence

the line between truth and falsehood

the possibility of a perpetual motion machine is one falsehood that has been disproved by modern physics

Recent Examples on the Web

In an era when AI generates convincing falsehoods at scale and a third of teenagers report being deceived by fake content online, the ability to weigh evidence critically is not an academic exercise but a plain necessity. — Rajiv Vinnakota, Forbes.com, 20 July 2026

Trump is twice divorced, relishes cursing publicly and offers a never-ending onslaught of falsehoods. — Will Weissert, Fortune, 18 July 2026

Prime-time addresses that spew grievances and obvious falsehoods may drive voters even further away from the GOP. — David A. Graham, The Atlantic, 17 July 2026

The president himself frequently rails against transgender people in his public remarks and executive orders, spreading falsehoods and using bigoted language. — Joseph Konig, PEOPLE, 17 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for falsehood

• adulthood
• babyhood
• brotherhood
• cottonwood
• fatherhood
• firewood
• fuelwood
• hardihood
• ironwood
• leatherwood
• likelihood
• livelihood

Kids Definition

falsehood

noun

false·​hood ˈfȯls-ˌhu̇d 

1

: an untrue statement : lie

2

: the habit of lying