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as in fraudulent
marked by, based on, or done by the use of dishonest methods to acquire something of value false advertising that claimed that the vegetables were organically grown when they weren't

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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Synonym Chooser

How is the word false different from other adjectives like it?

Some common synonyms of false are disloyal, faithless, perfidious, traitorous, and treacherous. While all these words mean "untrue to what should command one's fidelity or allegiance," false stresses the fact of failing to be true in any manner ranging from fickleness to cold treachery.

betrayed by false friends

When is disloyal a more appropriate choice than false?

Although the words disloyal and false have much in common, disloyal implies a lack of complete faithfulness to a friend, cause, leader, or country.

disloyal to their country

When is it sensible to use faithless instead of false?

The words faithless and false can be used in similar contexts, but faithless applies to any failure to keep a promise or pledge or any breach of allegiance or loyalty.

faithless allies

How are the words perfidious and faithless related as synonyms of false?

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

a perfidious double-crosser

Where would traitorous be a reasonable alternative to false?

In some situations, the words traitorous and false are roughly equivalent. However, traitorous implies either actual treason or a serious betrayal of trust.

traitorous acts punishable by death

When can treacherous be used instead of false?

The synonyms treacherous and false are sometimes interchangeable, but treacherous implies readiness to betray trust or confidence.

a treacherous adviser

Examples 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 false This false narrative has made a lot of tribal funding in North America contingent on sobriety; alcohol was banned on U.S. reservations until the 1950s. Sofia Perez, Saveur, 21 Nov. 2024 Vaccines Kennedy has criticized vaccines, including making false medical claims that vaccines are linked to autism. Margie Cullen, USA TODAY, 21 Nov. 2024 The report does not say that police found the allegations to be false. Ted Johnson, Deadline, 21 Nov. 2024 This isn't a matter of establishing a false binary. Dr. Marcus Collins, Forbes, 20 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for false 
Recent Examples of Synonyms for false
Adjective
  • Ross reportedly threatened to fire officials who oversee the National Weather Service after forecasters tried to correct an erroneous hurricane warning from Trump.
    Scott Horsley, NPR, 19 Nov. 2024
  • Checking for fraud Be careful with this one, because there are a lot of erroneous reports during the election season.
    John Brandon, Forbes, 3 Nov. 2024
Adjective
  • The database would identify rogue doctors, pill mills and faux patients who were oxy-shopping.
    Pat Beall, Sun Sentinel, 29 Nov. 2024
  • And, of course, there’s a very generous faux fur lining to keep feet warm and cozy.
    Chaunie Brusie, RN, Parents, 29 Nov. 2024
Adjective
  • Federal authorities have repeatedly warned that counterfeit goods threaten the health and safety of consumers.
    Thao Nguyen, USA TODAY, 28 Nov. 2024
  • No details were shared about the people behind the counterfeit operation, citing an ongoing investigation.
    Jonathan Lloyd, NBC News, 27 Nov. 2024
Adjective
  • There will also be humor: The backside of the outer packaging is called The Daily Dump, a mock newspaper.
    Jayme Moye, Outside Online, 19 Nov. 2024
  • Trump won 62% of the university’s mock vote at Flagler College and won the vote by 10% at the University of North Florida.
    Pedro Boccalato Rodriguez Aparicio, Orlando Sentinel, 14 Nov. 2024
Adjective
  • The Play Store app purge focuses on lower-quality, likely higher-risk apps, most of which are free but which open users to malware or fraudulent ads or subs.
    Zak Doffman, Forbes, 23 Nov. 2024
  • In a move to embrace widespread change brought on by AI, Ledger integrated the Flex and the Stax with its app, Ledger Security Key, which employs two-factor authentication and passkey capabilities for serious protection against fraudulent activity.
    Martin Lerma, Robb Report, 23 Nov. 2024
Adjective
  • And somewhere between them on the war/peace continuum sit the men on Rhaenyra’s borderline traitorous council.
    Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 30 June 2024
  • Simultaneously, Hal is on a call with President Rayburn to brief him on Penn's traitorous schemes.
    Samantha Stutsman, People.com, 5 Nov. 2024
Adjective
  • In either scenario, referring to them as a black box would still be inaccurate.
    Cody Greco, Forbes, 22 Nov. 2024
  • But information in background checks can be inaccurate, raising unfair hurdles for renters, advocates say.
    Gretchen Morgenson, NBC News, 21 Nov. 2024
Adjective
  • They are typically made of heat-trapping, waterproof materials such as vinyl, nylon, or neoprene, a synthetic rubber.
    Heather Jones, Verywell Health, 1 Dec. 2024
  • The term entered English usage shortly after, referring both to the color and the synthetic dye.
    Erik Kain, Forbes, 30 Nov. 2024

Thesaurus Entries Near false

Cite this Entry

“False.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/false. Accessed 4 Dec. 2024.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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