Synonyms of belie

belie

verb

bi-ˈlī 

1

as in to misrepresent

to give a misleading impression of

his bright smile belied his actual mood, which was really one of great sadness

Synonyms & Similar Words

• misrepresent
• conceal
• obscure
• hide
• contradict
• distort
• mask
• mislead
• deceive
• disguise
• falsify
• pretend
• feign
• camouflage
• cloak
• counterfeit
• misreport
• dissemble
• color
• garble
• misrender
• twist

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• represent
• betray
• reveal
• demonstrate
• disclose
• discover
• exhibit
• expose
• evince
• bare
• parade
• flaunt
• show off

2

as in to refute

to prove to be false

the latest information belies the old theory

Synonyms & Similar Words

• refute
• disprove
• overturn
• discredit
• rebut
• falsify
• challenge
• confound
• confute
• discuss
• debunk
• disconfirm
• question
• doubt
• shoot down
• give the lie to
• overthrow
• contest
• debate
• talk over
• query
• mistrust
• moot
• hash (over)

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• prove
• establish
• confirm
• show
• verify
• validate
• support
• record
• witness
• document
• substantiate
• identify
• evince
• demonstrate
• illustrate
• evidence
• corroborate
• certify
• manifest
• back (up)
• display
• attest
• buttress
• adduce
• authenticate

3

as in to conceal

to keep secret or shut off from view

the security council issued false assurances that belied the true gravity of the situation

Synonyms & Similar Words

• conceal
• obscure
• hide
• cover
• suppress
• disguise
• overshadow
• mask
• veil
• cloak
• enshroud
• paper over
• curtain
• blot out
• bury
• occult
• blanket
• shroud
• screen
• block
• camouflage
• obstruct
• smother
• cover (up)
• occlude
• becloud
• darken
• gild
• whitewash
• gloss (over)
• shade
• varnish
• overcast
• eclipse
• cloud
• bedim
• befog

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• reveal
• show
• disclose
• expose
• display
• uncover
• divulge
• bare
• unveil
• present
• unmask
• clarify
• bring out
• illuminate
• proclaim
• uncloak
• advertise
• publish
• spread
• publicize
• get out
• broadcast
• air

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of belie

But the skillful way in which they are woven together belies the efforts that went into telling this story, and Lovely Reader, this dedication to quality fascinates me. — Rachel Elspeth Gross, Forbes.com, 10 July 2026

Dorothea centers on a Sacramento woman (Davis) who ran a boarding house for the less fortunate in the 1980s, but her seemingly benevolent actions belied her sinister motives. — Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 7 July 2026

Philosophy may be spoken about at a dinner party, but that the content of whatever is said in this line is necessarily belied by the actual fact that the characters, by necessity, are not depicted engaging in the pursuit of wisdom. — Literary Hub, 6 July 2026

This criticism may belie a bid to make complex topics more easily accessible to audiences ranging from Wall Street to the man on the street. — Eleanor Pringle, Fortune, 3 July 2026

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