1
as in delusion
a false idea or belief
the possibility of a perpetual motion machine is one falsehood that has been disproved by modern physics
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in lie
a statement known by its maker to be untrue and made in order to deceive
several falsehoods in the witness's testimony that may be grounds for perjury
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in deception
the quality or state of being false
scientists eventually demonstrated the falsehood of the claim that prehistoric fish did not evolve lungs and legs
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in deceit
the tendency to tell lies
a cynic who believes that politics are a veritable fount of falsehood
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 falsehood
Here are some key moments and falsehoods from her year-plus in the nation’s top law enforcement spot.
—
Politifact, Dallas Morning News, 2 Apr. 2026
Goldman cast doubt on the Justice Department’s claim that the falsehood made it into the government’s legal defense of ICE due to human error.
—Molly Crane-Newman, New York Daily News, 27 Mar. 2026
The truth is always more useful than a comforting falsehood.
—Omar Kelly, Miami Herald, 18 Mar. 2026
The firm connects those results to its mission of accountability through advocacy work, including defending people who experienced deception, fighting against contracts based on falsehoods, and opposing business practices that view customers as mere sales targets.
—Malana Vantyler, USA Today, 9 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for falsehood
Politifact, Dallas Morning News, 2 Apr. 2026
Goldman cast doubt on the Justice Department’s claim that the falsehood made it into the government’s legal defense of ICE due to human error.
—Molly Crane-Newman, New York Daily News, 27 Mar. 2026
The truth is always more useful than a comforting falsehood.
—Omar Kelly, Miami Herald, 18 Mar. 2026
The firm connects those results to its mission of accountability through advocacy work, including defending people who experienced deception, fighting against contracts based on falsehoods, and opposing business practices that view customers as mere sales targets.
—Malana Vantyler, USA Today, 9 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for falsehood
Recent Examples of Synonyms for falsehood
Noun
-
Lying in this crypt is Nathan Lane’s Willy Loman, a tragic humbug, his delusions contradicted by the ruins around him.—
Hilton Als,
New Yorker,
10 Apr. 2026
-
His delusion is central to why this revival is so potent.—
Chris Jones,
New York Daily News,
10 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
More than half of that pile lies, waiting, in Evans’ coffers.—
Seth Klamann,
Denver Post,
16 Apr. 2026
-
Trump has described Haitian migrants as a threat to the American way of life, including spreading a racist and unfounded lie that Haitians were eating household pets in Springfield, Ohio.—
Alana Wise,
NPR,
16 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
However genuine their connection, their paths were forged in deception and self-loathing.—
Andy Andersen,
Vulture,
13 Apr. 2026
-
Their commitment to the deception has no limit.—
Matt Cabral,
Entertainment Weekly,
13 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Consider this evilmeister’s brazen acts of treason and revenge, unbounded deceit, swinish immorality and negative role modeling.—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
5 Apr. 2026
-
Taking someone’s money by deceit is generally not allowed, and the misrepresentations contained in the contract could serve as proof of the alleged fraud.—
Robert L. Boone,
Sportico.com,
31 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Originality is a comforting myth.—
Brian Boucher,
ARTnews.com,
16 Apr. 2026
-
Common myths, such as opening windows or hiding in a southwest corner, are false and can increase danger.—
Brandi D. Addison,
USA Today,
15 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
So does the tale of the tape, which clearly favors New York in its first-round matchup against a pesky Hawks team hoping to pull off an upset.—
Kristian Winfield,
New York Daily News,
17 Apr. 2026
-
Dimon delivered a familiar tale that somehow manages to instill calm and panic at the same time.—
Diane Brady,
Fortune,
17 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Perfidy — from the French perfidie via the Latin perfidia — means deceitfulness, treachery or a breach of faith or promise.—
Harmeet Kaur,
CNN Money,
21 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Yet technology experts warn that outsourcing key decisions to AI exposes consumers to risks, potentially leading to communications errors and costing people money, while also potentially handing hackers the keys to their data.—
Megan Cerullo,
CBS News,
17 Apr. 2026
-
Nurses at the hospital continue to report staffing issues and high turnover rates while saying medication errors and delays in patient care are continuing to occur.—
Livi Stanford,
Hartford Courant,
16 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Falsehood.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/falsehood. Accessed 21 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
