lying 1 of 4

Definition of lyingnext

lying

2 of 4

noun

lying

3 of 4

verb (1)

present participle of lie

lying

4 of 4

verb (2)

present participle of lie
1
as in leading
to be positioned along a certain course or in a certain direction the train tracks lie just over that hill

Synonyms & Similar Words

2
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 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 lying
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
The woman in this case gave a victim impact statement Thursday, saying that Donaldson has patterns of manipulation, violence and lying. Maya Wilkins, Chicago Tribune, 5 Mar. 2026 The roles of bluffing and secrecy in our interactions with others (or, how lying can help—and hurt—us). Literary Hub, 2 Mar. 2026 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 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
Verb
On many of the planes, the boom operator works lying face down while looking out of a window on the underside of the plane. Kim Tong-Hyung, Los Angeles Times, 13 Mar. 2026 From lying flat on his stomach on the ground, he is then tasked with walking across the room in a bear crawl, while keeping the piece on his back balanced, his mother said. Hope Moses, Chicago Tribune, 12 Mar. 2026 Parents guessed under five minutes, but the devices recorded 38 — in other words, many kids are lying awake in the dark longer than parents realize. Avery Newmark, AJC.com, 10 Mar. 2026 Nadal so much so that when Argentinian Gaston Gaudio claimed that the Spaniard broke seven after a defeat in 2005, Nadal accused him of lying. James Hansen, New York Times, 10 Mar. 2026 In reaching their stunning verdicts, jurors who heard chilling rape and abuse allegations involving at least 11 women over the more than monthlong trial rejected the defense’s positions that the victims were lying and motivated by money, heartbreak, or jealousy. Molly Crane-Newman, New York Daily News, 9 Mar. 2026 Approximately an hour later, the lost friend was located and found dead lying near his snowmobile. Forum News Service, Twin Cities, 9 Mar. 2026 The final Oscar voting period has closed, and anyone telling you the race is over is lying. Clayton Davis, Variety, 6 Mar. 2026 Ayala had previously faced claims of lying and excessive force but was not placed on a Milwaukee County District Attorney's list of officers with a history of dishonesty, bias or integrity concerns until recently. David Clarey, jsonline.com, 6 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lying
Adjective
  • This is dishonest and partisan.
    Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 10 Mar. 2026
  • More and more people are avoiding dating or befriending those with opposing political views, and growing numbers describe those on the other side as closed-minded, dishonest, immoral and unintelligent.
    Justin Callais, Twin Cities, 5 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • Later that year, federal prosecutors in New York charged the company’s former CEO Joanna Smith-Griffin, with securities fraud and related offenses tied to investor deception.
    Teresa Liu, Daily News, 11 Mar. 2026
  • See what happens when jealousy, suspicion and deception take over.
    Hema Sivanandam, Mercury News, 9 Mar. 2026
Adjective
  • But without context, that figure is deeply misleading.
    Robert Pearl, Twin Cities, 8 Mar. 2026
  • Staff member Brandon Richards, who made $136,000 last year, is tasked with quickly dispatching responses to information the governor’s team deems inaccurate or misleading that is spread on social media and in the media.
    Taryn Luna, Los Angeles Times, 6 Mar. 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
  • This story has been updated to correct erroneous information originally released by the city of Radcliff.
    Leo Bertucci, Louisville Courier Journal, 3 Mar. 2026
  • This was due to erroneous data provided by Dallas County, the Texas Secretary of State’s office told Hearst Newspapers.
    Bayliss Wagner, Austin American Statesman, 3 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • The cheating isn’t new, this argument goes; it’s just getting discovered and prosecuted more frequently.
    McKay Coppins, The Atlantic, 12 Mar. 2026
  • That cheating is rampant in our elections.
    TIME Staff, Time, 25 Feb. 2026
Adjective
  • The 2026 State of the Union speech stands in contrast, a speech by a mendacious demagogue who has degraded his listeners by debauching their instincts.
    Eliot A. Cohen, The Atlantic, 26 Feb. 2026
  • 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
Noun
  • There’s no dishonesty in anything that [Quentin] writes or how people talk, feel or speak [in his movies].
    Lauryn Overhultz, FOXNews.com, 10 Mar. 2026
  • Ayala had previously faced claims of lying and excessive force but was not placed on a Milwaukee County District Attorney's list of officers with a history of dishonesty, bias or integrity concerns until recently.
    David Clarey, jsonline.com, 6 Mar. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Lying.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lying. Accessed 15 Mar. 2026.

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