fib 1 of 3

fib

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verb (1)

fib

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verb (2)

British

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb fib differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of fib are equivocate, lie, palter, and prevaricate. While all these words mean "to tell an untruth," fib applies to a telling of a trivial untruth.

fibbed about the price of the new suit

When might equivocate be a better fit than fib?

The synonyms equivocate and fib are sometimes interchangeable, but equivocate implies using words having more than one sense so as to seem to say one thing but intend another.

equivocated endlessly in an attempt to mislead her inquisitors

When is lie a more appropriate choice than fib?

While the synonyms lie and fib are close in meaning, lie is the blunt term, imputing dishonesty.

lied about where he had been

Where would palter be a reasonable alternative to fib?

The words palter and fib are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, palter implies making unreliable statements of fact or intention or insincere promises.

a swindler paltering with his investors

How are the words prevaricate and lie related as synonyms of fib?

Prevaricate softens the bluntness of lie by implying quibbling or confusing the issue.

during the hearings the witness did his best to prevaricate

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 fib
Noun
Rather than going hard on law stuff or culture stuff, this episode relies a lot on Matty using her powers of empathy and her facility with fibs to crack the mystery underlying this case. Noel Murray, Vulture, 12 Dec. 2024 Jason Isaacs told a little fib before being cast for The White Lotus season 3. Brian Anthony Hernandez, People.com, 17 Feb. 2025
Verb
In the poll, 60% of respondents confessed to wanting to impress their dentist during office visits, leading 57% of them to fib about their dental hygiene. Khloe Quill, Fox News, 16 Mar. 2025 Much like real-life income reporting, the game’s requirement to self-report income before tax created an incentive for people to fib. Iese Business School, Forbes, 7 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for fib
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fib
Noun
  • Of California’s 280 state parks, 17 lie in San Diego County — and several of those rank high for visitors.
    Maura Fox, San Diego Union-Tribune, 16 May 2025
  • The sister discovers this lie and sets out to find the baby for herself.
    Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 16 May 2025
Noun
  • Returning to the wuxia genre that has defined much of his illustrious career, Tsui explains his approach to this latest adaptation of the classic martial arts tale.
    Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 8 May 2025
  • The best film version of Finney’s tale is the ‘70s one with Donald Sutherland, Brooke Adams, Veronica Cartwright, Jeff Goldblum, and Leonard Nimoy.
    Brian Tallerico, Vulture, 7 May 2025
Noun
  • Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
    Tommy McArdle, People.com, 19 May 2025
  • This story was originally published May 17, 2025 at 10:13 PM.
    Charlotte Observer, Charlotte Observer, 18 May 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Fib.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fib. Accessed 22 May. 2025.

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