Synonyms of false

false

adjective

ˈfȯls 

1

as in erroneous

not being in agreement with what is true

early reports about the explosion contained much false information

Synonyms & Similar Words

• erroneous
• inaccurate
• incorrect
• wrong
• misleading
• untrue
• untruthful
• distorted
• invalid
• inexact
• unsound
• deceptive
• off base
• fraudulent
• fictitious
• specious
• illusory
• off
• delusive
• spurious
• counterfactual
• fallacious
• deceitful
• delusory
• mendacious
• lying
• unproven
• dishonest
• unconfirmed
• invented
• awry
• fabricated
• untested
• amiss
• made-up
• askew
• trumped-up

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• true
• correct
• proper
• accurate
• valid
• right
• factual
• sound
• exact
• precise
• confirmed
• demonstrated
• veracious
• tested
• perfect
• established
• errorless
• proven
• impeccable
• flawless
• faultless
• letter-perfect

2

as in faux

being such in appearance only and made with or manufactured from usually cheaper materials

George Washington's false teeth were not made of wood but of elephant ivory and cow's teeth

Synonyms & Similar Words

• faux
• synthetic
• fake
• simulated
• dummy
• artificial
• imitation
• imitative
• mock
• bogus
• factitious
• manufactured
• ersatz
• counterfeit
• substitute
• mimic
• deceptive
• sham
• pretend
• designer
• process
• misleading
• manipulated
• man-made
• forged
• unauthentic
• fabricated
• pseudo
• fraudulent
• phoney
• cultured
• engineered
• adulterated
• concocted
• doctored
• phony
• spurious
• fudged
• feigned
• tampered (with)
• juggled
• affected
• pinchbeck
• brummagem

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• real
• true
• natural
• genuine
• legitimate
• authentic
• bona fide
• valuable
• pure
• quality
• premium
• unadulterated

3

as in counterfeit

being such in appearance only and made or manufactured with the intention of committing fraud

arrested for selling false ID cards to teenagers

Synonyms & Similar Words

• counterfeit
• fake
• forged
• phoney
• bogus
• imitation
• inauthentic
• ornamental
• spurious
• phony
• misleading
• unauthentic
• deceptive
• synthetic
• manufactured
• snide
• sham
• artificial
• mock
• simulated
• dummy
• factitious
• substitute
• cultured
• delusive
• fabricated
• mimic
• nonfunctioning
• man-made

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• real
• genuine
• authentic
• bona fide
• natural
• true
• actual
• unfaked
• valid

4

as in mock

lacking in natural or spontaneous quality

so much of the sympathy that the widow received was false and hypocritical, since it came from people who never liked her husband in the first place

Synonyms & Similar Words

• mock
• fake
• unnatural
• strained
• exaggerated
• pseudo
• artificial
• mechanical
• affected
• bogus
• simulated
• spurious
• phoney
• phony
• assumed
• forced
• factitious
• contrived
• plastic
• theatrical
• theatric
• feigned
• sham
• cute
• unreal
• pretended
• hollow
• empty
• automatic
• put-on
• unrealistic
• formal
• calculated
• deliberate
• hypocritical
• pat
• unauthentic
• manufactured
• insincere
• fabricated
• stiff
• canned
• melodramatic
• conscious
• labored
• facile
• conventional
• wooden
• hokey
• unctuous
• histrionic
• concocted
• rigid
• mealy
• impersonal
• cultivated
• stylized
• mincing
• two-faced
• artful
• premeditated
• overdone
• inflexible
• mealymouthed
• cutesy
• simpering
• double-dealing
• genteel
• studied
• overacted
• goody-goody
• left-handed
• overrefined

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• true
• genuine
• real
• natural
• spontaneous
• unaffected
• right
• realistic
• authentic
• artless
• bona fide
• sincere
• honest
• easy
• ingenuous
• unforced
• unfeigned
• smooth
• uncontrived
• unconscious
• effortless
• instinctive
• unpretending
• impulsive
• impromptu
• extemporaneous
• unstudied
• unrehearsed
• unprompted

5

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

• fraudulent
• dishonest
• deceptive
• misleading
• deceitful
• specious
• delusive
• crooked
• fallacious
• defrauding
• deceiving
• duplicitous
• delusory
• spurious
• beguiling
• double-dealing
• deluding

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• truthful
• honest
• true
• valid
• legitimate
• aboveboard

6

as in traitorous

not true in one's allegiance to someone or something

false friends who deserted the prizefighter when all his money was gone

Synonyms & Similar Words

• traitorous
• unreliable
• untrue
• treacherous
• perfidious
• disloyal
• faithless
• unfaithful
• inconstant
• fickle
• irresponsible
• untrustworthy
• hesitant
• recreant
• uncertain
• undependable
• dubious
• faltering
• trustless
• irresolute
• dispassionate
• uninterested
• wavering
• vacillating
• apathetic

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• true
• constant
• faithful
• steady
• reliable
• responsible
• loyal
• solid
• steadfast
• fast
• devout
• staunch
• trustworthy
• dependable
• dedicated
• devoted
• down-the-line
• dutiful
• stanch
• trusty
• tried
• unhesitating
• confirmed
• unfaltering
• intent
• resolute
• determined
• trustable
• tried-and-true
• enthusiastic
• unwavering
• inveterate
• passionate
• fervent
• ardent
• impassioned
• sworn
• fervid
• avid
• dyed-in-the-wool

7

as in misleading

tending or having power to deceive

it turned out that the con man had made false promises of marriage to a dozen women

Synonyms & Similar Words

• misleading
• deceptive
• incorrect
• inaccurate
• fraudulent
• delusive
• specious
• deceitful
• ambiguous
• fallacious
• deceiving
• subtle
• delusory
• beguiling
• crooked
• deluding
• wrong
• counterfeit
• dishonest
• artificial
• fake
• treacherous
• lying
• forged
• cunning
• puzzling
• slick
• trick
• shady
• perplexing
• bogus
• wily
• tricky
• untruthful
• distracting
• spurious
• artful
• phoney
• sneaky
• shifty
• mendacious
• crafty
• untrustworthy
• subtile
• confounding
• duplicitous
• faithless
• bewildering
• phony
• sly
• foxy
• devious
• underhanded
• insidious
• perfidious
• underhand
• feigned
• evasive
• trickish
• hypocritical
• sham
• guileful
• insincere
• fast
• sneaking
• knavish
• ambidextrous
• jive
• equivocal
• dissembling
• defrauding
• circuitous
• backhanded
• double-dealing
• two-faced
• left-handed

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• straightforward
• direct
• forthright
• plain
• open
• straight
• frank
• candid
• outspoken
• nondeceptive
• aboveboard
• explanatory
• illuminating
• truthful
• revealing
• clarifying
• revelatory
• honest
• trustworthy
• openhearted
• plainspoken
• free-spoken
• foursquare
• elucidative

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

Recent Examples of false

Anyone caught calling in a false report could be charged with a third-degree felony. —Barnini Chakraborty, The Washington Examiner, 22 June 2025

An excellent demo is what distinguishes the truth from false claims. —Claire Trimble, Forbes.com, 12 June 2025

Most notably, Trump has clashed with South Africa over false claims that white South African farmers are being regularly killed by Black locals, leading Washington to cut all US aid to the country and extend some white Afrikaners refugee status. —Mathias Hammer, semafor.com, 12 June 2025

On Wednesday, Dobbins addressed the story about his false claims. —Jen McCaffrey, New York Times, 12 June 2025