truth

noun

ˈtrüth 

plural truths ˈtrüt͟hz 

ˈtrüths

1

a(1)

: the body of real things, events, and facts : actuality

(2)

: the state of being the case : fact

(3)

often capitalized : a transcendent fundamental or spiritual reality

b

: a judgment, proposition, or idea that is true or accepted as true

truths of thermodynamics

c

: the body of true statements and propositions

2

a

: the property (as of a statement) of being in accord with fact or reality

b

chiefly British : true sense 2

c

: fidelity to an original or to a standard

3

a

: sincerity in action, character, and utterance

b

archaic : fidelity, constancy

4

capitalized Christian Science : god

Phrases

in truth

: in accordance with fact : actually

Synonyms

• facticity
• factuality
• sooth
• trueness
• verity

Examples of truth in a Sentence

At some point you have to face the simple truth that we failed.

Their explanation was simpler but came closer to the truth.

The article explains the truth about global warming.

A reporter soon discovered the truth.

Do you swear to tell the whole truth and nothing but the truth?

Her story contains a grain of truth but also lots of exaggeration.

Recent Examples on the Web

Yet some colleagues privately said Berliner's critique carried some truth. —David Folkenflik, NPR, 17 Apr. 2024

Normalization serves an important purpose: to destigmatize and educate, to extract truth from the shadows and cast it in the light. —Maytal Eyal and Bridget Freihart, TIME, 17 Apr. 2024

Through the eyes of Godfrey (Riley Keough) and a local police officer (Lily Gladstone), the series takes us into the hidden world of the young girls accused of the murder — revealing startling truths about the unlikely killer. —Catherine Santino, Peoplemag, 16 Apr. 2024

God, who, despite his generally problematic history, proclaims some hard truths. —Kyle Denis, Billboard, 16 Apr. 2024

Email address: What made this meeting remarkable, however, was a sobering truth that bubbled up amid the exasperated grumbles and earnest assurances. —Lisa Song, ProPublica, 15 Apr. 2024

Network Ten and Wilkinson chose to fight the charge, mounting a truth defense, meaning that to win, the network’s lawyers needed to prove that on the balance of probabilities the rape happened. —Hilary Whiteman, CNN, 15 Apr. 2024

Jan Dell is a former chemical engineer who has spent years telling an inconvenient truth about plastics. —Ben Tracy, CBS News, 14 Apr. 2024

Editor’s picks Not even getting busted for speaking truth to power about the show’s estimable host, Emily Maitlis (Gillian Anderson, adding another name to her list of recent Distinguished, Steel-Belted IRL Women takes), can temper McAllister’s hustle and flow. —David Fear, Rolling Stone, 4 Apr. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English trewthe, from Old English trēowth fidelity; akin to Old English trēowe faithful — more at true entry 1

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 3b

Phrases Containing truth

• bend the truth
• half-truth
• home truth
• in truth
• moment of truth
• nothing could be farther from the truth
• nothing could be further from the truth
• stretch the truth
• the gospel truth
• the naked truth
• the truth
• the truth of the matter
• the whole truth
• to tell the truth
• to tell (you) the truth
• truth be told
• truth be told/known
• truth serum
• truth set
• truth table
• truth-value

Kids Definition

truth

noun

ˈtrüth 

plural truths ˈtrüt͟hz  ˈtrüths 

1

: the quality or state of being true

2

: a true or accepted statement

3

: the body of real events or facts

4

: agreement with fact or reality

Biographical Definition

Truth

biographical name

ˈtrüth 

Sojourner circa 1797–1883 American evangelist and reformer