Synonyms of fib

fib 1 of 3

noun

ˈfib 

as in lie

a statement known by its maker to be untrue and made in order to deceive

the claim that everyday living would be impossible without at least a few innocent fibs

Synonyms & Similar Words

• lie
• tale
• story
• fabrication
• falsehood
• untruth
• fable
• fairy tale
• prevarication
• whopper
• falsity
• mendacity
• taradiddle
• exaggeration
• distortion
• ambiguity
• fiction
• bluff
• half-truth
• perjury
• libel
• defamation
• deceit
• slander
• obliquity
• fraudulence
• nonsense
• misrepresentation
• equivocation
• myth
• misstatement
• misconception
• duplicity
• pose
• canard
• dishonesty
• fallacy
• misinformation
• falsification
• humbug
• jive
• misreport
• pretense
• deceitfulness

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• truth
• fact
• honesty
• truthfulness
• truism
• confirmation
• veracity
• verification
• validation
• authentication
• verity
• substantiation

fib

2 of 3

verb (1)

as in to lie

to make a statement one knows to be untrue

fibbed and said that he had remembered to water her plants while she was away

Synonyms & Similar Words

• lie
• prevaricate
• deceive
• fabricate
• perjure
• trick
• fool
• delude
• libel
• equivocate
• kid
• forswear
• dupe
• misstate
• hoodwink
• slander
• snow
• misrepresent
• mislead
• palter
• gull
• fudge
• distort
• falsify
• misreport
• defame
• beguile
• hoax
• dissemble
• dissimulate
• misinform
• cozen
• take in
• traduce
• misguide
• garble

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• testify
• assert
• swear
• confirm
• verify
• validate
• substantiate
• authenticate

fib

3 of 3

verb (2)

British

as in to lick

to strike repeatedly

the two drunken pub crawlers proceeded to fib each other senseless

Synonyms & Similar Words

• lick
• hide
• lash
• pound
• beat
• whip
• attack
• knock
• slap
• do
• hit
• thump
• pelt
• spank
• slam
• punch
• batter
• assault
• bat
• smash
• tan
• maul
• punch out
• rough (up)
• bash
• paddle
• chop
• smack
• wound
• whale
• switch
• belabor
• thresh
• club
• pummel
• whop
• bludgeon
• curry
• lather
• buffet
• whack
• birch
• whup
• bung up
• raid
• slate
• drub
• wallop
• baste
• hammer
• flog
• box
• lace
• work over
• slog
• mess (up)
• belt
• lambaste
• thrash
• swipe
• tromp
• beat up on
• rush
• crack
• swat
• storm
• cuff
• pommel
• sock
• lam
• bust
• clobber
• paste
• wham
• jump (on)
• lay on
• descend (on or upon)
• pounce (on or upon)
• cane
• blackjack
• assail
• lacerate
• strap
• beset
• clout
• cudgel
• flagellate
• mangle
• rawhide
• whomp
• gore
• leather
• thwack
• maim
• mutilate
• scourge
• pistol-whip
• horsewhip
• cowhide
• fustigate

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

Recent Examples of fib

Noun

Technically speaking, my musical reporting was a fib. —Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 9 Aug. 2025

But even after getting caught in the fib, the woman doesn’t waver. —Ashley Vega, People.com, 10 June 2025

Verb

The This Is Us actress stopped by the Not Gonna Lie podcast and told host Kylie Kelce that her singer hubby recently fibbed about watching the film to a friend. —Daysia Tolentino, EW.com, 20 July 2025

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