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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of untruth
The untruth Comey told in Trump Tower soon came back into the picture when, on March 15, 2017, Comey talked privately to members of the Senate Judiciary Committee.
—
Byron York, The Washington Examiner, 28 Sep. 2025
Those that prioritize speed over accuracy might spit out plenty of seemingly unrealistic untruths.
—Jasmin Malik Chua, Sourcing Journal, 17 Sep. 2025
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
See All Example Sentences for untruth
Byron York, The Washington Examiner, 28 Sep. 2025
Those that prioritize speed over accuracy might spit out plenty of seemingly unrealistic untruths.
—Jasmin Malik Chua, Sourcing Journal, 17 Sep. 2025
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
See All Example Sentences for untruth
Recent Examples of Synonyms for untruth
Noun
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These were people, who, in Yusuf’s words, couldn’t tell the difference between hope and delusion.—
Taran Khan,
The Dial,
24 Mar. 2026
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Neglecting himself to worship a projection, Narcissus isn’t so much struck down by the gods as he is lost to hopeless delusion.—
Ryan Lattanzio,
IndieWire,
20 Mar. 2026
Noun
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These pivotal memories of Clark and Floyd’s buddy romance amount to another darkly comic portrait of a nontoxic male friendship — complete with nontraditional definitions of manhood that place meaningful friendships over monolithic strength — all built on a foundation of lies and insecurities.—
Andy Andersen,
Vulture,
23 Mar. 2026
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Its entire ecosystem—social media, podcasts, and talk radio—is committed to spreading lies and conspiracy theories, to stoking rage and resentment.—
Peter Wehner,
The Atlantic,
23 Mar. 2026
Noun
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As with Lavrov, Taras’ journey out was perilous, involving some deception and a huge amount of courage.—
Ivana Kottasová,
CNN Money,
22 Mar. 2026
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So, while Massachusetts was accusing Exxon of climate deception, the state was also fighting a records request that exposed its own failure to comply with one of its own climate rules.—
Paul Diego Craney,
Boston Herald,
22 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Later, settle in for a pint at Teach Ósta, the lone pub, where conversations drift easily from myth to weather to memory.—
Condé Nast Traveler,
Condé Nast Traveler,
25 Mar. 2026
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Just like ancient legends and myths, names have power.—
JD Barker,
Rolling Stone,
25 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Jude relocates this tale of troubled conscience to present-day Cluj-Napoca, in Transylvania, and subjects it to a corrosively cynical twist.—
Justin Chang,
New Yorker,
27 Mar. 2026
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My confidence was further bolstered when Zenker informed me about Beau Miles, an adventure filmmaker known for documenting his self-experiments, who, back in 2020, when an entirely different disaster descended upon us, ate only beans for 40 days (191 cans to be exact)—and lived to tell the tale.—
Ayana Underwood,
Outside,
27 Mar. 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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But then, over the course of several viewings, new recognitions dawned—on the social contract, illusions of class, and the artist’s deft use of color in this gorgeous study of red, white, and blue.—
Laura Brown,
Artforum,
25 Mar. 2026
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One abruptly gains social permission to behave just as mercifully—to go without the same illusion—to oneself.—
Caleb Crain,
Harpers Magazine,
24 Mar. 2026
Noun
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For more than four decades, the Korean immigrant has worked at the shop near Travis Air Force Base, hearing countless stories of loss, sacrifice and heartbreak from military families and service members.—
Kenny Choi,
CBS News,
28 Mar. 2026
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Paxton told stories about running for office for the first time and his 2023 impeachment.—
Eleanor Dearman,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
28 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Untruth.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/untruth. Accessed 29 Mar. 2026.
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