falsify

verb

fal·​si·​fy ˈfȯl-sə-ˌfī 

falsified; falsifying

transitive verb

1

: to prove or declare false : disprove

2

: to make false: such as

a

: to make false by mutilation or addition

the accounts were falsified to conceal a theft

b

: to represent falsely : misrepresent

3

: to prove unsound by experience

intransitive verb

: to tell lies : lie

falsifiability

ˌfȯl-sə-ˌfī-ə-ˈbi-lə-tē 

noun

falsifiable

ˌfȯl-sə-ˈfī-ə-bəl 

adjective

falsification

ˌfȯl-sə-fə-ˈkā-shən 

noun

falsifier

ˈfȯl-sə-ˌfī(-ə)r 

noun

Synonyms

• bend
• color
• cook
• distort
• fudge
• garble
• misinterpret
• misrelate
• misrepresent
• misstate
• pervert
• slant
• twist
• warp

Examples of falsify in a Sentence

He was caught falsifying financial accounts.

taking that statement completely out of context essentially falsifies it, whether that's your intention or not

Recent Examples on the Web

Even without absorbing the northern neighbor into the U.S. or getting his conviction on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records overturned, Trump should have little trouble entering Canada. —Nate Trela, USA TODAY, 15 Dec. 2024

Trump has been fighting for months to reverse his May 30 conviction on 34 counts of falsifying business records. —Michael R. Sisak and Jennifer Peltz The Associated Press, arkansasonline.com, 14 Dec. 2024

Trump, who was found guilty in May on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records, has pleaded not guilty to all charges and has denied any wrongdoing. —Stephan Pechdimaldji, Newsweek, 14 Dec. 2024

Trump and Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg (D) are battling over whether the jury’s verdict finding Trump guilty of 34 felony counts of falsifying business records should stand. —Alexis Simendinger, The Hill, 12 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English falsifien, from Middle French falsifier, from Medieval Latin falsificare, from Latin falsus

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Kids Definition

falsify

verb

fal·​si·​fy ˈfȯl-sə-ˌfī 

falsified; falsifying

: to make false : change so as to deceive

falsify financial accounts

falsification

ˌfȯl-sə-fə-ˈkā-shən 

noun

falsifier

ˈfȯl-sə-ˌfī(-ə)r 

noun

Legal Definition

falsify

transitive verb

fal·​si·​fy ˈfȯl-si-ˌfī 

falsified; falsifying

: to make false: as

a

: to make (as a document) false by mutilation, alteration, or addition

the motel clerk had falsified the records

—M. A. Kelly

b

: to report (as information) falsely

the informant falsified his testimony