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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of belying
Then Danielle and Michèle dance, with a casual tenderness belying how charged the moment is for Michèle.
—
Richard Brody, New Yorker, 10 Sep. 2025
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
Richard Brody, New Yorker, 10 Sep. 2025
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
-
Conversely, overloading new hires with information, leaving them without guidance or misrepresenting the job can quickly erode excitement and lead to early and expensive turnover.—
Alyshia Hull,
USA Today,
11 Sep. 2025
-
Pratt’s attorney argued in court Monday and in sentencing documents that Pratt’s only criminal conduct was misrepresenting to women that the videos would not be posted online.—
Alex Riggins,
Mercury News,
9 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
On Friday, Swift’s lawyer stepped into the fray to set the record straight, refuting the claim that his client had agreed to answer questions under oath.—
Nancy Dillon,
Rolling Stone,
12 Sep. 2025
-
Days after the hearing, the leader of the Pentagon's office to investigate UFOs provided testimony of his own refuting some of the claims.—
Eric Lagatta,
USA Today,
10 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
The distance blur can also be dramatic, obscuring your view of what’s to come and essentially hiding its beauty.—
Matt Gardner,
Forbes.com,
2 Sep. 2025
-
Then there’s a period where addiction is obscuring whatever that initial wound is.—
Chris Willman,
Variety,
1 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Shoplifting over $250 by concealing.—
Flint McColgan,
Boston Herald,
12 Sep. 2025
-
My District 2 neighbors are making clear that concealing identities already undermines trust, strips away civil liberties and sets a dangerous precedent.—
Devan Patel,
Mercury News,
10 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Vail can once again prohibit delivery trucks from its pedestrian malls, a federal appeals court has ruled, overturning a Denver judge’s decision last year that put a stop to that ban.—
Justin Wingerter,
Denver Post,
10 Sep. 2025
-
Adam Streisand, a lawyer for Rupert, used James’ cooperation for the story as ammunition for overturning the ruling and asking for a new trial.—
Alex Weprin,
HollywoodReporter,
9 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
But this chassis could be the ultimate mainstream case for cable-hiding showoffs.—
Thomas Soderstrom,
PC Magazine,
13 Sep. 2025
-
Some are found lurking in remote corners of the world, while others have been hiding right under our noses.—
Real-Time News team,
Miami Herald,
12 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
An example is Pure Storage with their recent report issued this month covering February 2024 through February 2025.—
Thomas Coughlin,
Forbes.com,
15 Sep. 2025
-
Jac’s professional career started at ESPN, covering the NFL and contributing to Sunday NFL Countdown.—
Nasha Smith,
PEOPLE,
14 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Both partners commit to naming insecurities directly rather than disguising them as tests.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes.com,
14 Sep. 2025
-
Applying coconut or walnut oil can go a long way towards disguising white scratches.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
12 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Belying.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/belying. Accessed 17 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share