as in dishonest
telling or containing lies
that lying son of a gun told me that the used car had never been in an accident
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in deception
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
as in deceiving
to make a statement one knows to be untrue
would I lie to you about that?
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
2
as in sitting
to occupy a place or location
I left the book lying on the counter
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in hiding
to remain out of sight
paparazzi were lying in wait outside the restaurant, a well-known celebrity hangout
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of lying
Kenan Draughorne, Los Angeles Times, 14 Jan. 2022
Matteo Wong, The Atlantic, 4 Feb. 2026
Crawford said the lying in wait allegations could not be proved because his client was just standing by a gate when the attack happened.
—City News Service, Oc Register, 25 Jan. 2026
The selfish tyrant attaches himself only to those others who share his selfishness, who are eager to wear the mask of perpetual lying.
—David Brooks, Mercury News, 24 Jan. 2026
Lior Torenberg explains what sets the Sad Girl Grifter (SGG) apart from her lying, scheming peers.
—Literary Hub, 23 Jan. 2026
Our guide gives you the best strategies to handle lying and deception at every stage and smart ways to teach your child the value of honesty.
—Sarah Vanbuskirk, Parents, 10 Jan. 2026
The lying, the calls for political violence, the nonstop gaslighting just cannot become anything approaching normal.
—Bill Goodykoontz, AZCentral.com, 21 Nov. 2025
In it, Buzzard accused Brewer of lying and of seeking media attention, while Brewer could be heard asking to leave twice.
—Stepheny Price, FOXNews.com, 21 Nov. 2025
Lowest lying yards along Blue Creek are flooded.
—Anna Skinner, MSNBC Newsweek, 22 Oct. 2025
Nc Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 20 Feb. 2026
Special prosecutors indict Kim Keon Hee and former Prime Minister Han on charges of abetting Yoon’s imposition of martial law, falsifying and destroying official documents and lying under oath.
—ABC News, 19 Feb. 2026
These creations are doing things their makers can’t explain, including blackmailing, lying, refusing to shut down and telling kids how to commit suicide.
—Los Angeles Times, 19 Feb. 2026
Another set of photos shows a man who appears to be him hunched on his hands and knees over a woman who is lying prone on the floor.
—Graham Kates, CBS News, 19 Feb. 2026
An unidentified male victim was found lying shot multiple times Tuesday night in the street on the South Side in the Oakland neighborhood, Chicago police said.
—Deanese Williams-Harris, Chicago Tribune, 18 Feb. 2026
Greenson breaks into Monroe's bedroom and finds the 36-year-old movie star lying naked, lifeless, face down on her bed, still clutching the telephone receiver.
—Kaycee Sloan, Cincinnati Enquirer, 13 Feb. 2026
The poignant image is juxtaposed with flashbacks of them as children lying sweetly next to one another.
—Natasha O'Neill, Vanity Fair, 13 Feb. 2026
Federal authorities are investigating two ICE officers accused of lying about what led up to the shooting of a Venezuelan man in Minnesota in January.
—Michael Loria, USA Today, 13 Feb. 2026
Adjective
He was found dead lying face up on his hotel bed with no signs of trauma, according to a Monday report from the Orange County Sheriff’s Office in Florida.
—Kenan Draughorne, Los Angeles Times, 14 Jan. 2022
Noun
OpenAI has also shared examples of its models cheating and lying and, in an experiment showcased on the second floor of its San Francisco headquarters, appearing to converse in a totally indecipherable language.
—Matteo Wong, The Atlantic, 4 Feb. 2026
Crawford said the lying in wait allegations could not be proved because his client was just standing by a gate when the attack happened.
—City News Service, Oc Register, 25 Jan. 2026
The selfish tyrant attaches himself only to those others who share his selfishness, who are eager to wear the mask of perpetual lying.
—David Brooks, Mercury News, 24 Jan. 2026
Lior Torenberg explains what sets the Sad Girl Grifter (SGG) apart from her lying, scheming peers.
—Literary Hub, 23 Jan. 2026
Our guide gives you the best strategies to handle lying and deception at every stage and smart ways to teach your child the value of honesty.
—Sarah Vanbuskirk, Parents, 10 Jan. 2026
The lying, the calls for political violence, the nonstop gaslighting just cannot become anything approaching normal.
—Bill Goodykoontz, AZCentral.com, 21 Nov. 2025
In it, Buzzard accused Brewer of lying and of seeking media attention, while Brewer could be heard asking to leave twice.
—Stepheny Price, FOXNews.com, 21 Nov. 2025
Lowest lying yards along Blue Creek are flooded.
—Anna Skinner, MSNBC Newsweek, 22 Oct. 2025
Verb
Locally heavy rain will quickly reduce visibility and result in ponding of water on roadways, standing water in low lying areas, and minor flooding of creeks, streams, and areas of poor drainage.
—Nc Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 20 Feb. 2026
Special prosecutors indict Kim Keon Hee and former Prime Minister Han on charges of abetting Yoon’s imposition of martial law, falsifying and destroying official documents and lying under oath.
—ABC News, 19 Feb. 2026
These creations are doing things their makers can’t explain, including blackmailing, lying, refusing to shut down and telling kids how to commit suicide.
—Los Angeles Times, 19 Feb. 2026
Another set of photos shows a man who appears to be him hunched on his hands and knees over a woman who is lying prone on the floor.
—Graham Kates, CBS News, 19 Feb. 2026
An unidentified male victim was found lying shot multiple times Tuesday night in the street on the South Side in the Oakland neighborhood, Chicago police said.
—Deanese Williams-Harris, Chicago Tribune, 18 Feb. 2026
Greenson breaks into Monroe's bedroom and finds the 36-year-old movie star lying naked, lifeless, face down on her bed, still clutching the telephone receiver.
—Kaycee Sloan, Cincinnati Enquirer, 13 Feb. 2026
The poignant image is juxtaposed with flashbacks of them as children lying sweetly next to one another.
—Natasha O'Neill, Vanity Fair, 13 Feb. 2026
Federal authorities are investigating two ICE officers accused of lying about what led up to the shooting of a Venezuelan man in Minnesota in January.
—Michael Loria, USA Today, 13 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lying
Adjective
-
In The Corner That Held Them, rarely does desire raise its head as the nuns busy themselves with dishonest bishops, honest con men, collapsing spires, inconclusive visions, ecclesiastical intrigues, catty infighting, attempts at levitation, and the plague.—
Air Mail,
Air Mail,
14 Feb. 2026
-
That doesn't mean the dealer is dishonest, though.—
Angelica Leicht,
CBS News,
10 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Comte’s feature directorial debut follows Quebec teenager Antoine, who travels to Ghana for a showdown with Kojo, a local gang member, amid an escalating game of deception.—
Etan Vlessing,
HollywoodReporter,
16 Feb. 2026
-
The Portage case is different, as the subcontractor and his co-conspirators are accused of deception in their failure to deliver the televisions to warehouses.—
Jim Woods,
Chicago Tribune,
15 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Schaeffer says those late-season numbers were misleading.—
Patrick Saunders,
Denver Post,
21 Feb. 2026
-
Cincinnati’s record also may be somewhat misleading.—
Shreyas Laddha,
Kansas City Star,
21 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
This week, in testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee, Attorney General Pam Bondi gave a master class in obfuscation, prevarication, and pettiness.—
John Ficarra,
Air Mail,
11 Oct. 2025
-
There was no picture, there was no drawing, there has been so many lies, so much prevarication, so much cover up.—
John Parkinson,
ABC News,
10 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Cubs and White Sox pitchers and catchers are working out in Arizona at the start of spring training, but unless Sox general manager Chris Getz says something erroneous again, nothing much is expected to happen until the Cactus League schedule begins Friday.—
Paul Sullivan,
Chicago Tribune,
15 Feb. 2026
-
Congress foolishly downsized that number in the 1980s and ’90s on the erroneous belief that more doctors would encourage unnecessary health care consumption.—
Betsy McCaughey,
Boston Herald,
8 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Through punches and pummeling, cheating and cursing, their bond remained (mostly) intact.—
Jillian Sederholm,
Entertainment Weekly,
20 Feb. 2026
-
The pandemic had pushed many educators into burnout, but where others saw artificial intelligence as a threat—a technology that facilitated student cheating—Roberts saw a tool to help her survive.—
Deni Ellis Béchard,
Scientific American,
17 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Supporters of recent state AI regulations said the measures will address potential threats to public safety and personal privacy, and to counter any mendacious actions created by AI, while not hindering innovation.—
Hope Moses,
Chicago Tribune,
10 Jan. 2026
-
In the dry California hills, an intentional community tries to build a pyre for one of its own, and, in the complex and mendacious aftermath, may end up sort of burning down the nation-state.—
Helen Shaw,
New Yorker,
14 Dec. 2025
Noun
-
Participants are urged to restrain harmful speech, dishonesty, anger and ego.—
Irfan Sarwar,
Chicago Tribune,
17 Feb. 2026
-
What matters most is the dishonesty.—
Julian Givi,
Washington Post,
9 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Lying.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lying. Accessed 23 Feb. 2026.
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