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

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

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

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