falsify

verb

fal·​si·​fy ˈfȯl-sə-ˌfī 

falsified; falsifying

transitive verb

1

: to prove or declare false : disprove

falsify a theory

2

: to make false: such as

a

: to make false by mutilation or addition

the accounts were falsified to conceal a theft

b

: to represent falsely : misrepresent

3

: to prove unsound by experience

falsify a promise

intransitive verb

: to tell lies : lie

falsifiability

ˌfȯl-sə-ˌfī-ə-ˈbi-lə-tē 

noun

falsifiable

ˌfȯl-sə-ˈfī-ə-bəl 

adjective

falsification

ˌfȯl-sə-fə-ˈkā-shən 

noun

falsifier

ˈfȯl-sə-ˌfī(-ə)r 

noun

Synonyms of falsify

• misrepresent
• distort

Examples of falsify in a Sentence

He was caught falsifying financial accounts.

taking that statement completely out of context essentially falsifies it, whether that's your intention or not

Recent Examples on the Web

This approach is important because conspiracy theories and disinformation often claim to falsify mainstream theories, or at least exploit a poor understanding of what certainty means in scientific methods. —Calum Lister Matheson, The Conversation, 14 Nov. 2025

Flores faces up to 10 years in prison on the civil rights charge and up to 20 years on the charge of falsifying a record in a federal investigation. —Alex Riggins, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 Nov. 2025

Childers, who served as sheriff from 2021 until 2024, faces five counts of depriving civil rights and one count of destroying, altering or falsifying records in a federal investigation, according to court documents. —Kacen Bayless, Kansas City Star, 5 Nov. 2025

Mangan filed two reports regarding the incident which prosecutors accuse him of falsifying. —Flint McColgan, Boston Herald, 29 Oct. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English falsifien, from Middle French falsifier, from Medieval Latin falsificare, from Latin falsus

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Rhymes for falsify

• abscissae
• alibi
• alkali
• alumni
• amoebae
• amplify
• annuli
• beautify
• brachii
• butterfly
• calculi
• certify

Kids Definition

falsify

verb

fal·​si·​fy ˈfȯl-sə-ˌfī 

falsified; falsifying

: to make false : change so as to deceive

falsify financial accounts

falsification

ˌfȯl-sə-fə-ˈkā-shən 

noun

falsifier

ˈfȯl-sə-ˌfī(-ə)r 

noun

Legal Definition

falsify

transitive verb

fal·​si·​fy ˈfȯl-si-ˌfī 

falsified; falsifying

: to make false: as

a

: to make (as a document) false by mutilation, alteration, or addition

the motel clerk had falsified the records

—M. A. Kelly

b

: to report (as information) falsely

the informant falsified his testimony