falsehood

noun

false·​hood ˈfȯls-ˌhu̇d 

1

: an untrue statement : lie

2

: absence of truth or accuracy

3

: the practice of lying : mendacity

Synonyms

• 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

The growth in measles cases over the past few months comes as Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. continues to deliver an inconsistent message about measles as well as pushing falsehoods about the measles vaccine and its makeup. —Mandy Taheri, MSNBC Newsweek, 15 June 2025

The narrative echoes similar falsehoods that circulated during the 2020 George Floyd protests and the 2024 pro-Palestinian student protests on university campuses. —Carmen Sesin, NBC news, 14 June 2025

China Daily and the People’s Daily have also been accused of publishing pro-CCP falsehoods. —Robert Schmad, The Washington Examiner, 9 June 2025

And when public officials knowingly spread falsehoods, the ripple effects distort public discourse, corrode institutions, and undermine every brand that operates in the same space. —Rhea Wessel, Forbes.com, 28 May 2025

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