1
as in delusion
a false idea or belief
their argument rests on a fundamental untruth which has long been discredited
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in lie
a statement known by its maker to be untrue and made in order to deceive
the Web site is rife with untruths and misleading information
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in deception
the quality or state of being false
there is an element of untruth in all forms of art: works of art provide only a semblance of reality
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of untruth
An illusion endlessly repeated despite its demonstrable untruth ceases to be an illusion and becomes a lie; a lie endlessly retold can become second nature, so ingrained and instinctive as to detach from its origins and morph into self-delusion.
—
Hussein Agha, Foreign Affairs, 16 Sep. 2025
This week, Stuart Heritage reports from the U.K. on why The Salt Path, the inspirational best-selling memoir by Raynor Winn, now seems to be a hive of untruths.
—Air Mail, 19 July 2025
Social niceties and institutional language are his ways to tell untruths, even to himself, while keeping both the status quo and his organizational status intact.
—Matthew Clark Davison, Literary Hub, 3 July 2025
At the celebration that follows their hair-raising return to Holy Island, Spike is disturbed by his father’s exultant untruths, regaling the crowd with false accounts of his son’s heroics when the squeamish boy had been too petrified to be of use during the attack.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 18 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for untruth
Hussein Agha, Foreign Affairs, 16 Sep. 2025
This week, Stuart Heritage reports from the U.K. on why The Salt Path, the inspirational best-selling memoir by Raynor Winn, now seems to be a hive of untruths.
—Air Mail, 19 July 2025
Social niceties and institutional language are his ways to tell untruths, even to himself, while keeping both the status quo and his organizational status intact.
—Matthew Clark Davison, Literary Hub, 3 July 2025
At the celebration that follows their hair-raising return to Holy Island, Spike is disturbed by his father’s exultant untruths, regaling the crowd with false accounts of his son’s heroics when the squeamish boy had been too petrified to be of use during the attack.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 18 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for untruth
Recent Examples of Synonyms for untruth
Noun
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So the dreams — or delusions — of past officials proved false.—
Edward Lotterman,
Twin Cities,
1 Feb. 2026
-
Described as more of a tonal companion to The Worm than a direct continuation, The Answerers is equal parts existential thriller and absurdist comedy, exploring belief, delusion and the human need for meaning in an increasingly turbulent modern world.—
Glenn Garner,
Deadline,
30 Jan. 2026
Noun
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The content of the speech was a litany of lies, fantasy and exaggerated claims.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
26 Jan. 2026
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But that confidence in ourselves and our capacity was always a lie.—
Adam Frank,
Forbes.com,
24 Jan. 2026
Noun
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For years, deception remained essential to its survival.—
Azadeh Moaveni,
Time,
3 Feb. 2026
-
This can be achieved through a winger’s crafty skating, stickhandling and deception to cut into the middle while carrying the puck, or, more commonly, by making skilled passes into the slot area.—
Harman Dayal,
New York Times,
2 Feb. 2026
Noun
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The chief human resources officer at $76 billion giant Colgate-Palmolive, Sally Massey, dispelled the myths that Gen Z only brings high standards and chaos to the workplace.—
Emma Burleigh,
Fortune,
5 Feb. 2026
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Like the tricksters of myth, there’s depth to their slyness.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
5 Feb. 2026
Noun
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For a cautionary tale, look no further than Kraft Heinz, formed by a mega-merger in 2015.—
Amelia Lucas,
CNBC,
31 Jan. 2026
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The series, the tale of a wealthy family forced to start from scratch in the middle-of-nowhere town of the title, amassed a cult following during the pandemic.—
Meriam Bouarrouj,
NBC news,
30 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Of course, the retort is that this would be irritating and exasperating to be continually deluged with alerts about AI deceptiveness.—
Lance Eliot,
Forbes.com,
24 Aug. 2025
Noun
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If choosing between communicating a less impressive truth versus a more sparkling illusion, keep it real and build credibility.—
Magi Helena,
Dallas Morning News,
4 Feb. 2026
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Romance, at least in its early stages, is a fragile illusion.—
Eileen Kelly,
Vogue,
4 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Beyond the famous spaceships, X-Wing and TIE Fighter also brought compelling stories set in the Star Wars universe, alongside technical advancements like fully 3D graphics in place of the bitmap sprites of previous titles.—
Alan Bradley,
Space.com,
31 Jan. 2026
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Ludwig wrote in an Instagram story sharing the news on Thursday.—
Amarachi Orie,
CNN Money,
30 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Untruth.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/untruth. Accessed 7 Feb. 2026.
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