half-truth

noun

Definition of half-truthnext
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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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 half-truth Some information is useful, some is harmful and some are half-truths that can cost you real money. — Miriam Fauzia, Dallas Morning News, 18 Feb. 2026 People who rely on half-truths often underestimate how visible their behavior becomes. — Johnny C. Taylor Jr, USA Today, 3 Feb. 2026 In this environment, influencers and politically motivated accounts now function as de facto broadcasters, often spreading half-truths, distortions or outright falsehoods with little accountability. — Editorial, Boston Herald, 1 Feb. 2026 Social media spread half-truths faster than public-health leaders could correct them. — Robert Pearl, Mercury News, 30 Dec. 2025 See All Example Sentences for half-truth
Recent Examples of Synonyms for half-truth
  1. lie
  2. tale
  3. story
Noun
  • When two young lovers find themselves up against stubborn, money-minded fathers, Scapin jumps into action with outrageous tricks, bold lies, and comic chaos at every turn.
    — Ut Community Press, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 July 2026
  • That includes everything from feeding the lie that Obama was not born in the United States to crude generalizations about majority-Black countries and posts that have sparked anger on his Truth Social website.
    — Will Weissert, Los Angeles Times, 6 July 2026
Definition of lie
Noun
  • There’s a house on the property where Francis Ford Coppola filmed Vito Corleone avenging his mother’s death in The Godfather Part II, but Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana were interested in a much older tale about Sicily—one of gods and mortals.
    — Nicole Phelps, Vogue, 14 July 2026
  • This underdog tale — a popular trope in musical theater — offers many moving moments, though several feel cloying.
    — Emily McClanathan, Chicago Tribune, 10 July 2026
Definition of tale
Noun
  • Cholowsky visited Chicago for a few days in early June, talking to coaches and executives, hanging out with players and listening to Jerry Reinsdorf’s baseball stories.
    — Jon Greenberg, New York Times, 12 July 2026
  • Hawthorne recounted a story about the day he was drafted, when new Steelers teammate Joe Greene came to his family’s door.
    — Jim Barnes July 11, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 12 July 2026
Definition of story

Browse Nearby Words

half-pints
half-truth
half-truths
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Half-truth.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/half-truth. Accessed 16 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on half-truth

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about half-truth

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