as in lie
a statement that is only partly true and that is intended to deceive people
I'm tired of all these half-truths—I want to know the real story.
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Recent Examples of half-truth
Social media spread half-truths faster than public-health leaders could correct them.
—
Robert Pearl, Mercury News, 30 Dec. 2025
Seasoned watchers of Potomac will know this to be a half-truth.
—Shamira Ibrahim, Vulture, 8 Dec. 2025
In a field crowded by lore, half-truths, and marketing copy, Chartreuse distinguishes itself by being the real deal.
—Jason O'Bryan, Robb Report, 6 Dec. 2025
In a world where images are so numerous and so difficult to understand, truth itself can be in danger, threatened by false interpretations and distorted, misleading half-truths.
—Literary Hub, 3 Sep. 2025
The intrigue in The Martians comes from its author’s patient demonstration of how half-truths and subjective observations can snowball into consensus.
—David Kamp, Air Mail, 23 Aug. 2025
As usual, the fake posts are often mixed with half-truths.
—John Brandon, Forbes.com, 19 Aug. 2025
Advertisement Dunham, who wrote and directed the episode, also seeds their interactions with the distractions, evasions, and half-truths of two people with baggage who aren’t yet comfortable baring their whole souls.
—Judy Berman, Time, 10 July 2025
Gutter guard companies and salesmen may be spewing half-truths to you.
—Tim Carter, Hartford Courant, 14 June 2025
Robert Pearl, Mercury News, 30 Dec. 2025
Seasoned watchers of Potomac will know this to be a half-truth.
—Shamira Ibrahim, Vulture, 8 Dec. 2025
In a field crowded by lore, half-truths, and marketing copy, Chartreuse distinguishes itself by being the real deal.
—Jason O'Bryan, Robb Report, 6 Dec. 2025
In a world where images are so numerous and so difficult to understand, truth itself can be in danger, threatened by false interpretations and distorted, misleading half-truths.
—Literary Hub, 3 Sep. 2025
The intrigue in The Martians comes from its author’s patient demonstration of how half-truths and subjective observations can snowball into consensus.
—David Kamp, Air Mail, 23 Aug. 2025
As usual, the fake posts are often mixed with half-truths.
—John Brandon, Forbes.com, 19 Aug. 2025
Advertisement Dunham, who wrote and directed the episode, also seeds their interactions with the distractions, evasions, and half-truths of two people with baggage who aren’t yet comfortable baring their whole souls.
—Judy Berman, Time, 10 July 2025
Gutter guard companies and salesmen may be spewing half-truths to you.
—Tim Carter, Hartford Courant, 14 June 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for half-truth
Noun
-
Whenever the president floated some bizarre policy idea, issued a new threat, or told a brazen lie about the state of the economy, Hassett would be one of the first people on cable news justifying it.—
Rogé Karma,
The Atlantic,
7 Jan. 2026
-
Our entire relationship was built on a lie.—
Jeanne Phillips,
Mercury News,
7 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
The podcast is a fascinating artifact, the tale of a woman still untangling her role as both victim and victimizer.—
Jillian Steinhauer,
New Yorker,
23 Jan. 2026
-
What unfolds is not just a thriller about biotechnology run amok, but a cautionary tale about a culture where the line between health and the pursuit of a narrow beauty ideal is troublingly blurry.—
Virgie Tovar,
Forbes.com,
23 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
This two-story house provides a generous living space with its five bedrooms and four baths.—
Bay Area Home Report,
Mercury News,
24 Jan. 2026
-
Durden’s journey with the Patriots starts, like most great stories, at the very bottom.—
Doug Kyed,
Boston Herald,
24 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Half-truth.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/half-truth. Accessed 24 Jan. 2026.
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