falsify

verb

fal·​si·​fy ˈfȯl-sə-ˌfī 

falsified; falsifying

transitive verb

1

: to prove or declare false : disprove

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

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

• bend
• color
• cook
• distort
• fudge
• garble
• misinterpret
• misrelate
• misrepresent
• misstate
• pervert
• slant
• twist
• warp

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

The charges: Trump is charged with 34 felony counts of falsifying business records. —Peter Jamison, Washington Post, 12 Apr. 2024

The Biggest Bombshells in Donald Trump's First Indictment, from Hush Money Payments to 'Friends in High Places' Trump became the first-ever U.S. president to face criminal charges last spring, when a grand jury indicted him on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records. —Kyler Alvord, Peoplemag, 10 Apr. 2024

In New York, falsifying business records can be a misdemeanor or can be elevated to a felony if prosecutors prove that the records were falsified in an attempt to conceal another crime. —Sarah D. Wire, Los Angeles Times, 10 Apr. 2024

Trump is charged with 34 counts of falsifying business records in the first degree. —Anders Hagstrom, Fox News, 9 Apr. 2024

On its own, falsifying those documents would be misdemeanors, relatively minor crimes. —Michael Rothfeld Emily Woo Zeller Krish Seenivasan David Mason, New York Times, 9 Apr. 2024

Trump has pleaded not guilty to a 34-count indictment charging him with falsifying business records in connection with a hush money payment Cohen made to adult film actress Stormy Daniels just days before the 2016 presidential election. —Aaron Katersky, ABC News, 8 Apr. 2024

The presumptive Republican presidential nominee faces 34 felony counts of falsifying business records to cover up a hush money payment made to adult film actress Stormy Daniels soon before the 2016 presidential election. —Aysha Bagchi, USA TODAY, 2 Apr. 2024

The mother asked the next nurse on shift for pain medication, but because Olson falsified documents that said the mother was already given pain medicine, the next nurse made the mother wait 30 minutes before providing her with medication, officials said. —Jennifer Rodriguez, Kansas City Star, 2 Apr. 2024

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

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