falsehood

noun

false·​hood ˈfȯls-ˌhu̇d How to pronounce falsehood (audio)
1
: an untrue statement : lie
2
: absence of truth or accuracy
3
: the practice of lying : mendacity

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
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.
Elon Musk spread a falsehood that large numbers of undocumented immigrants are getting Social Security benefits. Andrew Torgan, CNN Money, 18 May 2025 The Context The growth in measles cases comes as Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. delivers an inconsistent message about measles and pushes falsehoods about the measles vaccine. Sonam Sheth, MSNBC Newsweek, 9 May 2025 Social media users are 70% more likely to share or retweet falsehoods than facts, so make sure your content is easy to share. Lauren Crystal, Forbes.com, 9 May 2025 Democracy doesn’t function well when speech is exploited and manipulated to advance falsehoods. Sander Van Der Linden, Time, 6 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for falsehood

Word History

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of falsehood was in the 13th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Falsehood.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/falsehood. Accessed 29 May. 2025.

Kids Definition

falsehood

noun
false·​hood ˈfȯls-ˌhu̇d How to pronounce falsehood (audio)
1
: an untrue statement : lie
2
: the habit of lying

More from Merriam-Webster on falsehood

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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