Synonyms of belying

belying

verb

present participle of belie

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

• misrepresenting
• obscuring
• concealing
• hiding
• contradicting
• masking
• disguising
• distorting
• misleading
• deceiving
• camouflaging
• feigning
• falsifying
• cloaking
• pretending
• misreporting
• twisting
• counterfeiting
• dissembling
• garbling
• coloring
• misrendering

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• representing
• betraying
• revealing
• exhibiting
• demonstrating
• disclosing
• exposing
• discovering
• evincing
• baring
• parading
• flaunting
• showing off

2

as in refuting

to prove to be false

the latest information belies the old theory

Synonyms & Similar Words

• refuting
• overturning
• disproving
• challenging
• discrediting
• falsifying
• confounding
• rebutting
• debunking
• confuting
• questioning
• discussing
• shooting down
• contesting
• doubting
• disconfirming
• giving the lie to
• overthrowing
• debating
• mistrusting
• hashing (over)
• querying
• talking over
• mooting

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• proving
• establishing
• confirming
• showing
• verifying
• evidencing
• validating
• documenting
• supporting
• recording
• witnessing
• evincing
• identifying
• corroborating
• attesting
• backing (up)
• displaying
• demonstrating
• certifying
• illustrating
• substantiating
• buttressing
• manifesting
• adducing
• authenticating

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

• obscuring
• concealing
• hiding
• covering
• disguising
• masking
• suppressing
• overshadowing
• cloaking
• shrouding
• veiling
• blanketing
• enshrouding
• curtaining
• occulting
• blocking
• blotting out
• papering over
• camouflaging
• screening
• burying
• covering (up)
• eclipsing
• smothering
• obstructing
• clouding
• whitewashing
• darkening
• occluding
• shading
• glossing (over)
• varnishing
• gilding
• overcasting
• beclouding
• befogging
• bedimming

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• showing
• displaying
• revealing
• exposing
• disclosing
• baring
• presenting
• divulging
• uncovering
• unmasking
• bringing out
• unveiling
• clarifying
• proclaiming
• uncloaking
• illuminating
• spreading
• publicizing
• airing
• getting out
• advertising
• broadcasting
• publishing

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of belying

Dawn ends the resurrection spell in response, belying her own statement. — Emily Temple, Literary Hub, 18 Aug. 2026

The image is whimsical, belying their instinct to flee the harsh world outside that tent, and through it, the audience gets to understand their psyche and innermost thoughts. — Murtada Elfadl, Variety, 18 Aug. 2026

For most islanders—not to mention for most of us watching—the search for love is a false grail, belying a rabid, desperate host of social needs that actively undermine the pursuit. — Lillian Fishman, New Yorker, 27 June 2026

With Erik Spoelstra saying all the right things but belying them with his actions, the Kel’el Ware-Bam Adebayo pairing appeared to have a limited future. — Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 27 June 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