belie

verb

be·​lie bi-ˈlī How to pronounce belie (audio)
bē-
belied; belying

transitive verb

1
a
: to give a false impression of
Her gentleness belies her strength.
b
: to present an appearance not in agreement with
His manner and appearance belie his age.
2
a
: to show (something) to be false or wrong
The evidence belies their claims of innocence.
b
: to run counter to : contradict
… appeared to belie all the rosy things I had heard about it.Katherine T. Kinkead
3
: disguise sense 3
An air of rural charm … belies the community's industrial activity.American Guide Series: Pennsylvania
belier noun

Did you know?

"What is a lie?" asks Lord Byron in Don Juan. He then answers himself: "'Tis but the truth in masquerade...." The history of belie illustrates a certain connection between lying and masquerading as something other than one is. In Old English, belie meant "to deceive by lying," but in time, it came to mean "to tell lies about," taking on a sense similar to that of the modern word slander. Eventually, its meaning softened, shifting from an act of outright lying to one of mere misrepresentation; by the 1700s, the word was being used in the sense "to disguise or conceal." Nowadays, belie is typically applied when someone or something gives an impression that is in disagreement with the facts, rather than in contexts where there is an intentional untruth. A happy face put on to set others at ease, for example, may belie an internal disgruntlement.

Examples of belie in a Sentence

a tree whose delicate beauty belies its real toughness Their actions belie their claim to be innocent.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
The film’s glossy veneer of confidence, much like that of its lead, belies an uncertainty. Shirley Li, The Atlantic, 20 June 2025 Further, many individual small sums of $50, $75 and $100 were spent on phone banks for Aguirre, and again, those numbers likely belie the breadth of the effort. Michael Smolens, San Diego Union-Tribune, 20 June 2025 The peaceful river scene belies the stress that the community has suffered. Diane Cole, NPR, 19 June 2025 Like Francona, Miley’s aw-shucks facade belies an understanding of the game that borders on genius. C. Trent Rosecrans, New York Times, 16 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for belie

Word History

Etymology

Middle English belien, going back to Old English belēogan, from be- be- + lēogan "to lie entry 3"

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of belie was before the 12th century

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Cite this Entry

“Belie.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/belie. Accessed 28 Jun. 2025.

Kids Definition

belie

verb
be·​lie bi-ˈlī How to pronounce belie (audio)
belied; belying
1
: to give a false idea of
her looks belied her age
2
: to show to be false
their actions belie their claim to be innocent
belier noun

More from Merriam-Webster on belie

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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