1
as in misrepresenting
to give a misleading impression of
his bright smile belied his actual mood, which was really one of great sadness
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in refuting
to prove to be false
the latest information belies the old theory
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in obscuring
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
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of belying
Saura had a large sense of the humor, which struck those who got to know him, belying the sternness of his public visage with his playful banter and frequent chuckle.
—
John Hopewell, Variety, 6 Mar. 2026
The show’s postcard-ready shots of the northern countryside, with its verdant hills and winding roads, are another incongruity, belying the challenges of survival there for those on the fringes.
—Inkoo Kang, New Yorker, 5 Feb. 2026
Inside, its luxurious custom leather seats and carbon fiber trim transform the Shelby into a quality cabin belying its F-150 roots.
—Peter Lyon, Forbes.com, 27 Aug. 2025
On an unremarkable clay tennis court in the Spanish city of Alicante, watched on by only a handful of spectators, two teenagers swipe the ball to one another with surprising vigor, belying their scrawny, adolescent frames.
—George Ramsay, CNN Money, 25 Aug. 2025
Henry communicates the weight of Ray’s past with a flicker in his gaze and a shadow that falls over his face, belying the easy confidence established by the character’s introduction.
—Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 25 Aug. 2025
Adem Zorgane has long been a statistical anomaly in Belgian football, his incredible passing numbers belying his position at the heart of a distinctly mid-table side.
—Thom Harris, New York Times, 14 Apr. 2025
John Hopewell, Variety, 6 Mar. 2026
The show’s postcard-ready shots of the northern countryside, with its verdant hills and winding roads, are another incongruity, belying the challenges of survival there for those on the fringes.
—Inkoo Kang, New Yorker, 5 Feb. 2026
Inside, its luxurious custom leather seats and carbon fiber trim transform the Shelby into a quality cabin belying its F-150 roots.
—Peter Lyon, Forbes.com, 27 Aug. 2025
On an unremarkable clay tennis court in the Spanish city of Alicante, watched on by only a handful of spectators, two teenagers swipe the ball to one another with surprising vigor, belying their scrawny, adolescent frames.
—George Ramsay, CNN Money, 25 Aug. 2025
Henry communicates the weight of Ray’s past with a flicker in his gaze and a shadow that falls over his face, belying the easy confidence established by the character’s introduction.
—Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 25 Aug. 2025
Adem Zorgane has long been a statistical anomaly in Belgian football, his incredible passing numbers belying his position at the heart of a distinctly mid-table side.
—Thom Harris, New York Times, 14 Apr. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for belying
Verb
-
In a 255-page report, longtime pension writer and financial investigator Ted Siedle accused the California Public Employees’ Retirement System of misrepresenting the amount paid to Wall Street managers and withholding records about the fund’s investments.—
William Melhado,
Sacbee.com,
22 May 2026
-
His latest obsession — aired out in part in Red Sheet, his 18th novel, out June 9 — is the Blacklist, which in Ellroy’s estimation was a greatly misunderstood act of flag-waving righteousness that Hollywood has been scandalously misrepresenting ever since.—
Seth Abramovitch,
HollywoodReporter,
20 May 2026
Verb
-
Anne Hathaway is refuting online speculation over whether she's had a facelift.—
Sharareh Drury,
Entertainment Weekly,
22 May 2026
-
King’s break with Johnson was not about refuting his historic contributions.—
Mark Conway,
Baltimore Sun,
9 May 2026
Verb
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Acoustics specialists crafted special sound and lighting apparatus that would capture the sound correctly without obscuring the ceiling.—
Theresa Braine,
New York Daily News,
22 May 2026
-
The event has been criticized as promoting Christian nationalism and obscuring the lines separating church and state.—
Chandelis Duster,
NPR,
17 May 2026
Verb
-
Some have turned away from the sky—the internet has popularized a theory that UFOs are hidden in the ocean, concealing their existence by submerging their crafts deep below the water.—
Dani Di Placido,
Forbes.com,
22 May 2026
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If convicted, Lineberger faces up to 20 years in prison on the falsification charge, up to three years for concealing or removing public records, and up to one year on each theft count.—
Kaelan Deese,
The Washington Examiner,
20 May 2026
Verb
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Verhoeven's protest is the immediate story, though overturning a result on a stoppage-timing dispute is historically a steep climb.—
Brian Mazique,
Forbes.com,
26 May 2026
-
The court annulled the CHP’s 2023 Congress, overturning a lower court’s verdict last year against claims of irregularities surrounding Özel’s election.—
Chad de Guzman,
Time,
25 May 2026
Verb
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If that bottle hiding in the back of your bar cart is dusty and doesn't taste the same, buy a fresh one.—
Kait Hanson,
Southern Living,
29 May 2026
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If agreements, planning decisions or delays are hiding behind NDAs, the committee will demand answers.—
Quil Lawrence,
NPR,
28 May 2026
Verb
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Robby Snelling made his way into the Miami Marlins’ clubhouse on Sunday morning with a full brace covering his left arm, keeping it locked basically at a 90-degree angle.—
Jordan McPherson,
Miami Herald,
24 May 2026
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The organization also found that our nation’s capital has 693 parks, covering 21 percent of its land, six percentage points higher than the national median.—
Dobrina Zhekova,
Travel + Leisure,
24 May 2026
Verb
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These tankers and freighters attempt to avoid detection through a variety of methods, ranging from repeatedly reflagging vessels under different national registries to physically disguising them like something out of Master and Commander.—
David Szondy
May 12,
New Atlas,
12 May 2026
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That's why designer Ashley Gallion says this method should be your first line of approach at disguising lamp cords.—
Tessa Cooper,
Southern Living,
8 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Belying.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/belying. Accessed 29 May. 2026.
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