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
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
Over the next 90 years, tourism in Natchez blossomed around half-truths and omissions.
—Joe Sills, Forbes.com, 30 Jan. 2026
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
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
Over the next 90 years, tourism in Natchez blossomed around half-truths and omissions.
—Joe Sills, Forbes.com, 30 Jan. 2026
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for half-truth
Noun
-
With 16 lie-flat seats at the front of the cabin, passengers can stretch out and settle in for the nearly six-hour flight, transforming a long domestic trip into an experience that feels more like international travel.—
Jessica Safavimehr,
Southern Living,
9 Feb. 2026
-
Since his return to office in 2025, this firehose of lies has only accelerated, distorting everything from economic data to constitutional law.—
Letters to the Editor,
The Orlando Sentinel,
8 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
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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
Cite this Entry
“Half-truth.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/half-truth. Accessed 14 Feb. 2026.
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