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
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
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
-
Kapoor was also charged with falsifying bank statements to inflate his account balances, failing to disclose a significant mortgage on his Cocoplum residence and misrepresenting that his tax returns had been filed with the IRS, all to obtain more than $9 million in financing.—
Alexandra Koch,
FOXNews.com,
6 Mar. 2026
-
Trump did not believe the Iranians were serious about giving up its decades-long ambition to develop a nuclear weapon and seemed to be misrepresenting the extent of its enrichment capabilities.—
Brian Bennett,
Time,
28 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
But the company is refuting the claims.—
Nicole Fallert,
USA Today,
16 Feb. 2026
-
But Kennedy was equally as defiant and doubled down on his stance, strongly refuting the allegations directed towards him.—
Dana O’Neil,
CNN Money,
14 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Where at the beginning of the period, the boyish, figure-obscuring flapper dress was the au courant silhouette, by the end, fashion was shifting toward the more body-conscious bias cut.—
Hannah Jackson,
Vogue,
2 Mar. 2026
-
This footage is overlaid with rapidly shifting colors via video synthesizer, obscuring our view, and an iris that periodically frames the runner.—
Daniel R. Quiles,
Artforum,
1 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
That contrast — a polished surface concealing something sinister — appears to define the show’s visual and emotional language.—
Hanna Wickes,
Kansas City Star,
6 Mar. 2026
-
A day before the council met to discuss the new legislation, the Milwaukee Police Department modified its policies to explicitly prohibit officers from concealing their identity with face masks.—
Vanessa Swales,
jsonline.com,
4 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The white truck struck the motorcycle and continued into an irrigation canal, overturning.—
Brandon Downs,
CBS News,
1 Mar. 2026
-
But David Oppenheimer, a UC Berkeley law professor and director of the Berkeley Center on Comparative Equality and Anti-Discrimination Law, said overturning affirmative action would create more inequality and less opportunity in the workplace.—
Jessica Guynn,
USA Today,
26 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Perhaps the Easter bunny got a little hungry after hiding all those eggs.—
Laura Fenton,
Parents,
5 Mar. 2026
-
From the dealmakers in the Polo Lounge to the celebs hiding away in the spacious bungalows, all manner of tastemakers and wannabes have stopped by the Pink Palace at some time or another.—
Tim Chester,
Robb Report,
5 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The trumpet creeper climbs by aerial roots to heights of 30 to 40 feet and will grow in the most challenging spots, covering an ugly wall, fence, or other structure in one growing season.—
Zoe Gowen,
Southern Living,
8 Mar. 2026
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Taking a job with the post office to support his growing family, Mosley in the 1950s worked side gigs writing for the Pittsburgh Courier and for the magazines Ebony, Sepia, and Jet, covering jazz and sports.—
News Desk,
Artforum,
8 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Carnival plays out in the movie’s background, adding life and music as well as disguising crimes perpetrated by those in power.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Feb. 2026
-
People describing themselves as constitutional observers tell WCCO that in the past week, reports of ICE agents disguising themselves have flooded in from the Twin Cities Metro and rural areas of the state.—
Conor Wight,
CBS News,
9 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Belying.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/belying. Accessed 9 Mar. 2026.
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