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as in fraudulent
marked by, based on, or done by the use of dishonest methods to acquire something of value false advertising that claimed that the vegetables were organically grown when they weren't

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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Synonym Chooser

How is the word false different from other adjectives like it?

Some common synonyms of false are disloyal, faithless, perfidious, traitorous, and treacherous. While all these words mean "untrue to what should command one's fidelity or allegiance," false stresses the fact of failing to be true in any manner ranging from fickleness to cold treachery.

betrayed by false friends

When is disloyal a more appropriate choice than false?

Although the words disloyal and false have much in common, disloyal implies a lack of complete faithfulness to a friend, cause, leader, or country.

disloyal to their country

When is it sensible to use faithless instead of false?

The words faithless and false can be used in similar contexts, but faithless applies to any failure to keep a promise or pledge or any breach of allegiance or loyalty.

faithless allies

How are the words perfidious and faithless related as synonyms of false?

Perfidious adds to faithless the implication of an incapacity for fidelity or reliability.

a perfidious double-crosser

Where would traitorous be a reasonable alternative to false?

In some situations, the words traitorous and false are roughly equivalent. However, traitorous implies either actual treason or a serious betrayal of trust.

traitorous acts punishable by death

When can treacherous be used instead of false?

The synonyms treacherous and false are sometimes interchangeable, but treacherous implies readiness to betray trust or confidence.

a treacherous adviser

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 false The couple was convicted in 2022 of conspiring to defraud banks out of more than $30 million in loans by submitting false documents. Eric Tucker, Chicago Tribune, 30 May 2025 The girl’s family’s accusations made in news conferences, interviews, and on social media were false, the lawsuit said. Jeff A. Chamer, Charlotte Observer, 29 May 2025 For a duo taking home IndieWire’s Auteur Award, it can’t be overstated how much Stiller and Gagné stressed the value of healthy collaboration — people who share and respond to ideas without an inflated ego or false modesty. Ben Travers, IndieWire, 29 May 2025 Now their weird discomfort with disease—and their outré views on cancer in particular—is being refracted through a sea of false, indecent speculations. Benjamin Mazer, The Atlantic, 19 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for false
Recent Examples of Synonyms for false
Adjective
  • But at these later stages, none of the remaining instances were in an erroneous state.
    John Timmer, ArsTechnica, 6 June 2025
  • Meta said that its new policies had helped reduce erroneous content removals in the US by half without broadly exposing users to more offensive content than before the changes.
    Paresh Dave, Wired News, 29 May 2025
Adjective
  • These slippers are available in men’s and women’s sizes, and are designed with a suede upper and a plush faux fur lining that yields a buttery-soft feel.
    Alicia Geigel, Southern Living, 3 June 2025
  • The designer of the faux fur coat Lopez wore in the photos reportedly reposted the image.
    Brian Niemietz, New York Daily News, 20 May 2025
Adjective
  • Last month, federal agents seized 1,730 pounds of methamphetamine, 238 pounds of cocaine, 257 pounds of powdered fentanyl and about 360,000 counterfeit fentanyl pills from the home.
    Jasmine Mendez, Los Angeles Times, 3 June 2025
  • Bad actors are increasingly impersonating high-profile creators using fake accounts, deepfakes or counterfeit content to scam audiences.
    Murad Salikhov, Forbes.com, 30 May 2025
Adjective
  • The couple misspelled words a few times during their mock challenge against him.
    Joey Nolfi Published, EW.com, 2 June 2025
  • For instance, Martinez explained, the program provides an experiential understanding of the workings of city government in a day when participants take on roles in a mock city council meeting with the mayor.
    Nicole Gregory, Oc Register, 30 May 2025
Adjective
  • On May 30, 2025, a Pennsylvania federal court refused NFL player agent Todd France’s request to vacate a December 2023 arbitration decision which ordered France to pay over $800,000 in damages to rival agent Jason Bernstein and which excoriated France for fraudulent conduct.
    Chris Deubert, Forbes.com, 31 May 2025
  • The couple were convicted of conspiring to defraud community banks out of more than $30 million in fraudulent loans as well as tax evasion and sentenced to 12 and seven years, respectively.
    Brie Stimson, FOXNews.com, 30 May 2025
Adjective
  • Michael Fassbender plays a British intelligence officer tasked with finding who leaked a top-secret software program and betrayed their country, and the list of five potentially traitorous suspects includes his own high-profile wife (Cate Blanchett).
    Brian Truitt, USA Today, 10 May 2025
  • Smith made out their former collaborators to be ungrateful and traitorous, and the kids weren't given the space to question her command.
    Zoey Lyttle, People.com, 18 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • Ortega also explained that her age makes people assume an inaccurate sense of naiveté.
    Wesley Stenzel, EW.com, 28 May 2025
  • But this is inaccurate as grid-scale storage batteries (BESS) can resolve this problem.
    Ian Dexter Palmer, Forbes.com, 27 May 2025
Adjective
  • Koozies can be made from polyester, vinyl, or even leather, but they are most often made from neoprene, a type of synthetic rubber.
    Jolie Kerr, Better Homes & Gardens, 5 June 2025
  • Unlike traditional identity fraud, where someone steals an individual’s real information, synthetic fraud involves creating a completely new identity using a mix of real and fake data.
    Gary Drenik, Forbes.com, 5 June 2025

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Cite this Entry

“False.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/false. Accessed 10 Jun. 2025.

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