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
Each cycle began with a seductive promise and ended with consumers realizing they had been sold only half-truths.
—
Jimin Yang, Mercury News, 1 Nov. 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
Well, not a lie, but a half-truth.
—Will Sabel Courtney, Robb Report, 5 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
Science and reason get stepped on by half-truths and conspiracy theories.
—New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 11 June 2025
Jimin Yang, Mercury News, 1 Nov. 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
Well, not a lie, but a half-truth.
—Will Sabel Courtney, Robb Report, 5 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
Science and reason get stepped on by half-truths and conspiracy theories.
—New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 11 June 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for half-truth
Noun
-
The lie that began James’s reign would have far-reaching consequences.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
4 Nov. 2025
-
Directly underneath lies an open-air beach club with fold-down platforms that open to create roughly 645 square feet of space suspended above the water.—
Rachel Cormack,
Robb Report,
4 Nov. 2025
Noun
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Musicalizing the story does little to ground the audience in Jackie’s world and instead pulls and stretches the tale, when the themes alone could speak for themselves.—
Aramide Tinubu,
Variety,
10 Nov. 2025
-
As the title suggests, this sprawling tale centers on Raja, a man in his sixties who lives with his mother in Beirut, a city shaking with political and ecological turmoil.—
The New Yorker,
New Yorker,
10 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
This show has always been a part of our love story.—
Okla Jones,
Essence,
11 Nov. 2025
-
The Bee’s Darrell Smith contributed to this story.—
Rosalio Ahumada,
Sacbee.com,
11 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Half-truth.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/half-truth. Accessed 12 Nov. 2025.
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