false

1 of 2

adjective

ˈfȯls 

falser; falsest

1

: not genuine

false documents

false teeth

2

a

: intentionally untrue

false testimony

b

: adjusted or made so as to deceive

false scales

a trunk with a false bottom

c

: intended or tending to mislead

a false promise

3

: not true

false concepts

4

a

: not faithful or loyal : treacherous

a false friend

b

: lacking naturalness or sincerity

false sympathy

5

a

: not essential or permanent

—used of parts of a structure that are temporary or supplemental

b

: fitting over a main part to strengthen it, to protect it, or to disguise its appearance

a false ceiling

6

: inaccurate in pitch

a false note

7

a

: based on mistaken ideas

false pride

b

: inconsistent with the facts

a false position

a false sense of security

8

: threateningly sudden or deceptive

don't make any false moves

falsely adverb

falseness noun

false

2 of 2

adverb

: in a false or faithless manner : treacherously

his friends played him false

Synonyms

Adjective

• erroneous
• inaccurate
• incorrect
• inexact
• invalid
• off
• unsound
• untrue
• untruthful
• wrong

Choose the Right Synonym for false

faithless, false, disloyal, traitorous, treacherous, perfidious mean untrue to what should command one's fidelity or allegiance.

faithless applies to any failure to keep a promise or pledge or any breach of allegiance or loyalty.

faithless allies

false stresses the fact of failing to be true in any manner ranging from fickleness to cold treachery.

betrayed by false friends

disloyal implies a lack of complete faithfulness to a friend, cause, leader, or country.

disloyal to their country

traitorous implies either actual treason or a serious betrayal of trust.

traitorous acts punishable by death

treacherous implies readiness to betray trust or confidence.

a treacherous adviser

perfidious adds to faithless the implication of an incapacity for fidelity or reliability.

a perfidious double-crosser

Examples of false in a Sentence

Adjective

Indicate whether each of the following statements is true or false.

He registered at the hotel under a false name.

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

Bear in mind that his campaign was replete with false claims — about immigration, jobs, inflation, crime and more. —Paul Krugman, The Mercury News, 13 Nov. 2024

Oz is the Penguin now — like everyone in Batman’s Rogues Gallery, a caricature of his own trauma, drawn to criminal means of false liberation. —Andy Andersen, Vulture, 10 Nov. 2024

Adverb

Mitchell, of Canton, won the 2019 State Open 100-meter title after Miller false-started and was disqualified. —Lori Riley, Hartford Courant, 14 Feb. 2023

Word History

Etymology

Adjective and Adverb

Middle English fals, faus, from Anglo-French & Latin; Anglo-French, from Latin falsus, from past participle of fallere to deceive

First Known Use

Adjective

12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2a

Adverb

13th century, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing false

• bearing false witness
• false alarm
• false albacore
• false arrest
• false bottom
• false color
• false economy
• false flag
• false imprisonment
• false miterwort
• false morel
• false moves/movements
• false negative
• false positive
• false pregnancy
• false rib
• false saber-tooth cat
• false saber-toothed cat
• false saber-toothed tiger
• false sense of security
• false Solomon's seal
• false start
• on/under false pretenses
• ring false
• true-false test
• under false pretenses

Kids Definition

false

adjective

ˈfȯls

falser; falsest

1

: not genuine

false documents

false teeth

2

a

: intentionally untrue

false testimony

b

: intended or tending to mislead

false promise

3

: not true : incorrect

false information

4

: not faithful or loyal : treacherous

5

: not necessary to structure

a false ceiling

6

: inaccurate in pitch

a false note

7

: based on mistaken ideas

false pride

falsely adverb

falseness noun

Medical Definition

false

adjective

ˈfȯls 

falser; falsest

1

: not corresponding to truth or reality

a test for HIV which gave false results

2

: artificially made

false teeth

3

: of a kind related to or resembling another kind that is usually designated by the unqualified vernacular

false oats

falsely adverb

falseness noun

Legal Definition

false

adjective

1

: not genuine, authentic, or legitimate compare counterfeit

2

a

: not true or correct

especially : intentionally or knowingly untrue or incorrect

injured by false accusations

b

: intended to mislead or deceive : deceptive, misleading compare fraudulent

falsely adverb

falseness noun