1
as in delusion
a false idea or belief
the possibility of a perpetual motion machine is one falsehood that has been disproved by modern physics
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in lie
a statement known by its maker to be untrue and made in order to deceive
several falsehoods in the witness's testimony that may be grounds for perjury
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in deception
the quality or state of being false
scientists eventually demonstrated the falsehood of the claim that prehistoric fish did not evolve lungs and legs
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in deceit
the tendency to tell lies
a cynic who believes that politics are a veritable fount of falsehood
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of falsehood
What followed on Tuesday was an hour and a half filled with many familiar falsehoods and exaggerations about his accomplishments, including on tariffs, immigration and his rollback of Biden administration policies.
—
Linda Qiu, New York Times, 30 Apr. 2025
Love has triumphed over hatred, light over darkness and truth over falsehood.
—Fernando Cervantes Jr., USA Today, 22 Apr. 2025
For instance, highly negative emotional language is a common marker of falsehood because misinformation frequently exploits outrage.
—Sander Van Der Linden, Time, 6 May 2025
Like most of his events, Trump’s speech contained falsehoods about consequential policy matters and trivial personal fixations.
—Jade Walker, CNN Money, 30 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for falsehood
Linda Qiu, New York Times, 30 Apr. 2025
Love has triumphed over hatred, light over darkness and truth over falsehood.
—Fernando Cervantes Jr., USA Today, 22 Apr. 2025
For instance, highly negative emotional language is a common marker of falsehood because misinformation frequently exploits outrage.
—Sander Van Der Linden, Time, 6 May 2025
Like most of his events, Trump’s speech contained falsehoods about consequential policy matters and trivial personal fixations.
—Jade Walker, CNN Money, 30 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for falsehood
Recent Examples of Synonyms for falsehood
Noun
-
But planted within that picture was a glimmer of hope — or maybe delusion — for Sabres fans.—
Matthew Fairburn,
New York Times,
22 May 2025
-
Researchers noted the positive effects of ecstatic epilepsy and synthesized fifty-three theoretical models of delusion.—
Rafil Kroll-Zaidi,
Harpers Magazine,
22 May 2025
Noun
-
But to see American history as simply a narrative of heroism would be a lie unbecoming a great nation.—
James T. Kloppenberg,
Time,
28 May 2025
-
Like it or not, businesses and thought leaders operate in an information ecosystem where willful lies and concocted conspiracies are amplified by algorithms.—
Rhea Wessel,
Forbes.com,
28 May 2025
Noun
-
As an escaped convict posing as a beloved preacher, and as his gentle, upright twin, Robeson embodies a devastating split between appearance and truth, and whose uncanny doubling plays out in a community shaped by racial violence, spiritual deception, and economic precarity.—
Samantha Bergeson,
IndieWire,
21 May 2025
-
Ellie, however, cannot abide Joel’s deception, and interrupts to tell the truth to Gail, who then slaps Joel and tells him to leave.—
Adam B. Vary,
Variety,
19 May 2025
Noun
-
Lia Thomas stole a medal through deceit, and this rag has the gall to call him a 'champion'?—
Nick Mordowanec,
MSNBC Newsweek,
15 May 2025
-
Maeve doubles down on her deceit, lying to Conrad to cover her own ass.—
EW.com,
EW.com,
11 May 2025
Noun
-
Historically, fonio carries deep reverence and myth.—
Osayi Endolyn,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
27 May 2025
-
There are several myths that certain foods are bad for thyroid function, including gluten and cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, brussels sprouts, and cauliflower).—
Patty Weasler,
Verywell Health,
27 May 2025
Noun
-
The story splits its time between young Wash's misadventures and the older, adult Wash's tale of first love with a biracial woman, Tanna (Iola Evans), and a brush with danger in the form of bounty hunter, Willard (Billy Boyd).—
Maureen Lee Lenker,
EW.com,
20 May 2025
-
It's been a tale of two companies with different policies, as Costco, which resisted public pressure to roll back its diversity plans, saw its 16th consecutive week of rising foot traffic that week.—
Nick Mordowanec,
MSNBC Newsweek,
19 May 2025
Noun
-
Only one major-league third baseman, the San Diego Padres’ Manny Machado, has more errors than Muncy’s eight through his first 49 games of the season.—
Fabian Ardaya,
New York Times,
27 May 2025
-
The poll of 1,136 Democrats carries a margin of error of plus or minus 2.89 percentage points.—
Adeola Adeosun,
MSNBC Newsweek,
26 May 2025
Noun
-
Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.—
Tommy McArdle,
People.com,
19 May 2025
-
After a long, arduous wait, her story caught the attention of Royal Canine.—
Saman Shafiq,
USA Today,
18 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Falsehood.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/falsehood. Accessed 1 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share