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
-
Ramsey’s attorneys said there are gaps in the case prosecutors presented to the grand jury, including by misrepresenting what the witness reported in the 911 call, and attorney Alfredo Parrish said the grand jury even pushed back.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
10 Apr. 2026
-
Noem was removed from her position following demonstrable failures in her management of the Department of Homeland Security, including misrepresenting a $220 million advertising campaign to Congress and inadequate emergency response coordination.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
5 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The documentary is already stirring up buzz due to Odom’s recent comments refuting some of the details and recollections from his ex-wife Khloé Kardashian.—
Yvonne Villarreal,
Los Angeles Times,
10 Apr. 2026
-
Gould had re-released his own book with new material refuting those arguments.—
Megan Molteni,
STAT,
7 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
To make your windows sparkle, make sure there are no smudges obscuring the spring sunlight.—
Lori Keong,
Architectural Digest,
2 Apr. 2026
-
Thick or layered clouds can violate flight rules by obscuring visibility and increasing the risk of lightning strikes triggered by the rocket’s ascent.—
Anna Skinner,
MSNBC Newsweek,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Criminal gangs attempted to evade detection by concealing drugs in a banana shipment and on a vat of South American wine.—
Kerry Breen,
CBS News,
11 Apr. 2026
-
Kevan Works, 66, faces single counts of first-degree murder and concealing a homicidal death, according to a Chicago Police Department news release.—
Caroline Kubzansky,
Chicago Tribune,
9 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
In February 2025, a three-justice panel from California's 2nd District Court of Appeal ordered a retrial after overturning his conviction, citing concerns about a possible language barrier involving one of the jurors who found Heaps guilty.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
14 Apr. 2026
-
The cause of the boat overturning is being investigated and the number of passengers on board and how many are unaccounted for remains unclear, according to the AP.—
Gina Kalsi,
PEOPLE,
9 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The lawsuit alleged that Alden facilities often were staffed at just 50 percent of the legal requirements, then hiding it from regulators in part through ghost workers and false reports.—
Robert McCoppin,
Chicago Tribune,
16 Apr. 2026
-
Stop hiding behind other people and just say it yourself.—
Rebecca Cohen,
NBC news,
16 Apr. 2026
Verb
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On Saturday, the troubled pop star uploaded a video dancing in a sheer black bodysuit while covering her breasts with her hands.—
Kathleen Perricone,
Entertainment Weekly,
13 Apr. 2026
-
Everyone has to be comfortable with the cost of a group outing, or someone else has to be comfortable covering them.—
Tarot.com,
Sun Sentinel,
12 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Many of Joseph’s current defensive principles — disguising blitzers indistinguishably from players dropping back into coverage — are similar to what Cincinnati did a decade ago, under defensive coordinator Guenther.—
Luca Evans,
Denver Post,
12 Apr. 2026
-
Two struggling male musicians witness a mob murder and flee by disguising themselves as women in an all-female jazz band.—
Rick Mauch
April 6,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
6 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Belying.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/belying. Accessed 18 Apr. 2026.
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