Synonym Chooser

How does the verb palter differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of palter are equivocate, fib, lie, and prevaricate. While all these words mean "to tell an untruth," palter implies making unreliable statements of fact or intention or insincere promises.

a swindler paltering with his investors

When is equivocate a more appropriate choice than palter?

While the synonyms equivocate and palter are close in meaning, equivocate implies using words having more than one sense so as to seem to say one thing but intend another.

equivocated endlessly in an attempt to mislead her inquisitors

When is it sensible to use fib instead of palter?

The words fib and palter are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, fib applies to a telling of a trivial untruth.

fibbed about the price of the new suit

When can lie be used instead of palter?

Although the words lie and palter have much in common, lie is the blunt term, imputing dishonesty.

lied about where he had been

How do prevaricate and lie relate to one another, in the sense of palter?

Prevaricate softens the bluntness of lie by implying quibbling or confusing the issue.

during the hearings the witness did his best to prevaricate

Examples of palter in a Sentence

These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Recent Examples on the Web Rather than wait to share the witches’ paltering pronouncements with Lady M (Indira Varma) in person, the thane of Glamis chooses to send word to his wife in advance of his return from battle. Rhoda Feng, Washington Post, 14 Apr. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for palter
Verb
  • He was then dealt to the Penguins in August of last year.
    Curtis Pashelka, The Mercury News, 9 Nov. 2024
  • Federal prosecutors said Clark was dealing cocaine and fentanyl, and had criminal contacts in the Los Angeles area.
    Erin Couch, The Enquirer, 5 Nov. 2024
Verb
  • City, county and school officials had urged both sides to keep negotiating and reach agreement prior to Medicare open enrollment, which runs Oct. 15 to Dec. 7.
    Frederick Melo, Twin Cities, 6 Nov. 2024
  • The mistake nearly pushed the company into bankruptcy, until Huang negotiated a contract buyout with Sega that provided Nvidia with a financial lifeline and resources to develop the NV1′s successor.
    Ashton Jackson, CNBC, 5 Nov. 2024
Verb
  • In 1959, Wisconsin partially regained its reputation as a pioneer in democratic reforms, becoming the first state to grant public employees the right to bargain collectively.
    Nancy C. Unger / Made by History, TIME, 28 Oct. 2024
  • Wednesday marks the first time that the two parties have bargained since.
    Katie Campione, Deadline, 23 Oct. 2024
Verb
  • Disney is buying out Comcast’s stake and made a hefty initial $8.6 billion base payment as the two sides haggle over valuation and what, if any, is still due.
    Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 10 Oct. 2024
  • Experts share their best etiquette tips for estate sales—including whether haggling is appropriate, and the rules for claiming items, standing in line, and arriving early.
    Shivani Vyas, Better Homes & Gardens, 20 Oct. 2024

Thesaurus Entries Near palter

Cite this Entry

“Palter.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/palter. Accessed 17 Nov. 2024.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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