HALF-TRUTHS Synonyms: 56 Similar and Opposite Words

half-truths

noun

plural of half-truth

as in lies

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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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-truths Years of deception, half-truths, and emotional compromises finally surface, forcing Rasheda, Geneva, Naomi, Tiffany, and Bridgette to confront not just the men in their lives, but one another. — Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 27 Aug. 2026 Her backstory is littered with half-truths and deceptions, including a lie that her mentally disabled younger sister was murdered after being kidnapped. — Cheyenne Roundtree, Rolling Stone, 11 Aug. 2026 When Juliette gets an audience with the Algorithm, the Mayor tells the voice some half-truths about why someone needs to go to Silo 17 immediately. — Noel Murray, Vulture, 7 Aug. 2026 The Soviet Union embraced Lenin’s concept of agitation—the use of emotional slogans and half-truths to influence the masses. — Marc Fisher, New Yorker, 30 July 2026 Don’t settle for half-truths; seek meaningful joy. — Tarot.com, The Orlando Sentinel, 26 Feb. 2026 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

Recent Examples of Synonyms for half-truths

Noun

In practice, this mischievous presence ping-pongs between maternal lies and the wholesale impersonation of other people.

— Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 8 Oct. 2026
As election season starts in much of the world, officials note an uptick in both blatant and subtle uses of social media to sow lies among voters.

— the Monitor's Editorial Board, Christian Science Monitor, 6 Oct. 2026

Definition of lies

Noun

Flanagan is the prolific horror writer-director who has tackled several Stephen King tales (Gerald’s Game, Doctor Sleep, Carrie) and delivered several limited series hits for Netflix (Midnight Mass, The Fall of the House of Usher).

— James Hibberd, HollywoodReporter, 9 Oct. 2026
How did the zombie go from being an emblem of enslavement and loss of autonomy in Haitian Vodou to the favorite flesh-eating grotesquerie of postapocalyptic tales?

— Angelica Jade Bastién, Vulture, 8 Oct. 2026

Definition of tales

Noun

The Middle East Monitor, which brands itself as supportive of the Palestinian cause, had published at least 21 stories under bylines OpenAI said were fake including Hoskins, Michael Harrison, Jenny Williams and Alice Johnson.

— Miriam Waldvogel, Washington Post, 9 Oct. 2026
Kapoor will lead the creative direction, with Balaji retaining the underlying IP while tapping YouTube’s global distribution and advertising business — a savvy expansion that doesn’t involve surrendering ownership of her stories.

— Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 9 Oct. 2026

Definition of stories

Noun

At the same time, media observers have raised concerns about possible distortions in the reach of political content on Meta platforms and have called for an investigation.

— Rafa Sales Ross, Variety, 10 Oct. 2026
These are two examples of politicians' truths among a plethora of others that are really lies, distortions, deceptions and desecrations of the citizens' trust in them.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 23 Sep. 2026

Definition of distortions

Noun

Staffers for major political figures have puzzled over the content, and are growing concerned about the rise of a new wave of videos with errors, exaggerations, misleading comments, and a tone that can be downright weird.

— Max Tani, semafor.com, 2 Sep. 2026
Distracting from real issues These conspiracy theories are more than exaggerations for a broader audience.

— Aaron Coy Moulton, The Conversation, 7 Aug. 2026

Definition of exaggerations

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half-truth

half-truths

halfway

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“Half-truths.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/half-truths. Accessed 14 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of half-truths

noun

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