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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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-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
  1. lies
  2. tales
  3. stories
  4. distortions
  5. exaggerations
Noun
  • Aron refuses to forgive Adam for his lies about his mother, signs up for the Great War, and goes to his death.
    — Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 2 Oct. 2026
  • Thou Shalt Not Steal, which launches on October 6, is a coming-of-age, roadtrip, moralistic odyssey about the lies people tell themselves and each other.
    — Peter White, Deadline, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of lies
Noun
  • Fear of the wilderness and its potentially lethal native creatures is hardwired into the human brain and fueled tales of haunted forests and murderous animals throughout history.
    — Culture Critic, Los Angeles Times, 30 Sep. 2026
  • And there’s good stories, different stories in there, different tales to tell.
    — Dessi Gomez, Deadline, 30 Sep. 2026
Definition of tales
Noun
  • Hassan Babar, the festival’s artistic director, said such stories should not merely serve as counter-narratives.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 3 Oct. 2026
  • Across the research, historical examples, and personal stories explored in the book, the same two-sided GRP pattern appears again and again.
    — Wyles Daniel, Miami Herald, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of stories
Noun
  • 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
  • That is because taking something in 3D, like Earth, and drawing it in flat 2D as a map is always going to result in distortions.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 20 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

Browse Nearby Words

half-truth
half-truths
halfway
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Cite this Entry

“Half-truths.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/half-truths. Accessed 4 Oct. 2026.

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