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
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Recent Examples of lying
Kenan Draughorne, Los Angeles Times, 14 Jan. 2022
Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 10 June 2026
Just needed his seat in Congress despite his lying and cheating, kind of like the guy sitting in the White House.
—Dp Opinion, Denver Post, 8 June 2026
To me that’s not a rewrite job — that’s just plain lying.
—Bea L. Hines, Miami Herald, 4 June 2026
Kandynn was convicted of first-degree murder, with a lying in wait special circumstance, according to the DA's office.
—Samira Asma-Sadeque, PEOPLE, 29 May 2026
None of the ugliness of World's Apart or Kaôh Rōng permeated the proceedings, even amongst all the lying and backstabbing.
—Dalton Ross, Entertainment Weekly, 22 May 2026
His lying has finally caught up with him.
—Erin Moriarty, CBS News, 17 May 2026
Huang throws the first group dinner of the series and, when confronted with both the rumors and the lying, quits on the spot.
—Brian Moylan, Vulture, 1 May 2026
The definition of a lying, scumbag politician –– that is you.
—Ryan Mancini, The Hill, 23 Apr. 2026
Nc Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 12 June 2026
Police claimed officers found the 81-year-old actor stabbed in the chest and lying unconscious outside a home in Los Angeles days before.
—Lauryn Overhultz, FOXNews.com, 12 June 2026
The data isn’t lying, but the conclusion drawn from it is profoundly wrong.
—Steve Forbes, Forbes.com, 12 June 2026
Speaking to local media at the time, Allman denied the ads were his, accusing his opponent of lying and suggesting evidence submitted to regulators had been faked.
—Jemma Stephenson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 June 2026
Investigators found Fite lying next to a gas pump with a gunshot wound to the head, Faherty said.
—Caroline Zimmerman, Kansas City Star, 11 June 2026
The sheet was lying at the foot of my bed.
—Literary Hub, 10 June 2026
In March, while the two men were battling for frontrunner status, Steyer unsuccessfully petitioned the California secretary of state to open an inquiry into whether Swalwell was lying about his California residency and therefore ineligible to serve as governor.
—Kyler Alvord, PEOPLE, 10 June 2026
Anyone ridiculously claiming the President was asleep is either lying or has severe brain damage.
—Jessica Botelho, Baltimore Sun, 10 June 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
In the finale of Season 2, the women have gotten past the lying and scheming and are in a new and more honest place.
—Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 10 June 2026
Just needed his seat in Congress despite his lying and cheating, kind of like the guy sitting in the White House.
—Dp Opinion, Denver Post, 8 June 2026
To me that’s not a rewrite job — that’s just plain lying.
—Bea L. Hines, Miami Herald, 4 June 2026
Kandynn was convicted of first-degree murder, with a lying in wait special circumstance, according to the DA's office.
—Samira Asma-Sadeque, PEOPLE, 29 May 2026
None of the ugliness of World's Apart or Kaôh Rōng permeated the proceedings, even amongst all the lying and backstabbing.
—Dalton Ross, Entertainment Weekly, 22 May 2026
His lying has finally caught up with him.
—Erin Moriarty, CBS News, 17 May 2026
Huang throws the first group dinner of the series and, when confronted with both the rumors and the lying, quits on the spot.
—Brian Moylan, Vulture, 1 May 2026
The definition of a lying, scumbag politician –– that is you.
—Ryan Mancini, The Hill, 23 Apr. 2026
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, 12 June 2026
Police claimed officers found the 81-year-old actor stabbed in the chest and lying unconscious outside a home in Los Angeles days before.
—Lauryn Overhultz, FOXNews.com, 12 June 2026
The data isn’t lying, but the conclusion drawn from it is profoundly wrong.
—Steve Forbes, Forbes.com, 12 June 2026
Speaking to local media at the time, Allman denied the ads were his, accusing his opponent of lying and suggesting evidence submitted to regulators had been faked.
—Jemma Stephenson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 June 2026
Investigators found Fite lying next to a gas pump with a gunshot wound to the head, Faherty said.
—Caroline Zimmerman, Kansas City Star, 11 June 2026
The sheet was lying at the foot of my bed.
—Literary Hub, 10 June 2026
In March, while the two men were battling for frontrunner status, Steyer unsuccessfully petitioned the California secretary of state to open an inquiry into whether Swalwell was lying about his California residency and therefore ineligible to serve as governor.
—Kyler Alvord, PEOPLE, 10 June 2026
Anyone ridiculously claiming the President was asleep is either lying or has severe brain damage.
—Jessica Botelho, Baltimore Sun, 10 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lying
Adjective
-
At some point, operating under a name that only told half that story started to feel dishonest.—
Mabel Yiu,
Forbes.com,
4 June 2026
-
The use of first-person pronouns is dishonest, but there’s a much deeper issue that goes beyond how a statement is phrased.—
Ted Chiang,
The Atlantic,
3 June 2026
Noun
-
But the dramatic vision-boosting reputation carrots have carried for decades traces back to a wartime deception, not science.—
Samantha Agate,
Sacbee.com,
15 June 2026
-
People desperately need reassurances that elections are decided honestly, without tricks or deception to favor a candidate or a party.—
Steve Bousquet,
Sun Sentinel,
13 June 2026
Verb
-
But O’Malley writes that this is deceiving.—
Livia Gershon,
JSTOR Daily,
9 June 2026
-
Stop deceiving yourself into the comfort that learning AI skills and tools alone will save you.—
Rachel Wells,
Forbes.com,
19 May 2026
Verb
-
Beyond its production strength, Rio is Brazil’s leading market for domestic cinema, accounting for an average of 71% of audiences and 70% of box office revenue between 1995 and 2024.—
Anna Marie de la Fuente,
Variety,
14 June 2026
-
The officials described Pakistan’s monthslong effort leading the negotiations, struggling to keep both sides from walking out of the room and a total collapse of the negotiations on multiple occasions.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
14 June 2026
Verb
-
Before the shooting, Stallings and a woman walked into the convenience store as Washington and another person were allegedly sitting and playing video games near the door, talking and laughing.—
PJ Green,
Kansas City Star,
12 Dec. 2025
-
There is also the possibility that, should Manuel land on a sitting head coach, the trickle-down effect makes this carousel spin like an unprecedented cyclone.—
David Close,
CNN Money,
11 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
Officials found three passengers in the cabin and their suspect hiding in the lavatory, Bali immigration authorities said in a statement.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
11 June 2026
-
The platforms that win will be the ones enabling accountable data access and transparent decision-making, not those hiding behind complexity.—
Ivan Guzenko,
Forbes.com,
11 June 2026
Adjective
-
But even if the court finds the ballot summary is misleading, that wouldn't erase the measure from the ballot.—
CBS Miami Team,
CBS News,
11 June 2026
-
Simply put, comparing NBA playoff ratings in 2026 to previous seasons without acknowledging those changes is misleading.—
Bobby Burack OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
10 June 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
Cite this Entry
“Lying.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lying. Accessed 18 Jun. 2026.
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