fib 1 of 3

Definition of fibnext

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
Lauren captioned the post, a playful nod to the harmless fib. Ashley Vega, PEOPLE, 21 Oct. 2025 These are the silly, inconsequential fibs that affect them and no one else and become an issue only when they get called out by the other ladies. Brian Moylan, Vulture, 17 Oct. 2025
Verb
Mexican, Chinese, Cuban restaurants, a Jersey Mike’s, a Sawgrass Mills eatery and a golf club restaurant that seems to have fibbed about why it was closed comprise the return of the Sick and Shut Down List. David J. Neal, Miami Herald, 26 June 2025 Jax, on the other hand, is well known for fighting, fibbing, and all the other words that start with F, including fornicating, filibustering, failing, and face-planting. Brian Moylan, Vulture, 16 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for fib
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fib
Noun
  • Chickering adds that under its new owners, TikTok has more control over what shows up on American feeds, but this control, according to Chickering, is where TikTok’s opportunity - and risk - lies.
    Matthew Chin, CNBC, 16 Feb. 2026
  • Malliotakis has a history of spreading misleading information and incendiary lies tying immigrants to crimes, despite data showing immigrants commit crimes at far lower rates than others.
    Voice of the People, New York Daily News, 16 Feb. 2026
Noun
  • The film vaguely follows the basic outline of the first half of the novel, heavily streamlining the twisted tale of family strife and generational trauma into a more conventional tragic romance centered squarely on Catherine and Heathcliff.
    Wilson Chapman, IndieWire, 13 Feb. 2026
  • The least satisfying tales involve a group of reasonable counterparties teaming up against a single aggressor, like an Indiana man who’s turned his grandmother’s house into an unauthorized urban farm.
    Alison Herman, Variety, 13 Feb. 2026
Noun
  • Besides the deceased, who appears more as a spectre in pictures, letters and memories, the men in this story take a back seat, with three generations of women at the center of the narrative.
    Murtada Elfadl, Variety, 13 Feb. 2026
  • Find this story at Iowa Capital Dispatch, which is part of States Newsroom, a network of news bureaus supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity.
    Robin Opsahl, Iowa Capital Dispatch, 13 Feb. 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Fib.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fib. Accessed 18 Feb. 2026.

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