as in lies
a statement that is only partly true and that is intended to deceive people
I'm tired of all these half-truths—I want to know the real story.
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Recent Examples of half-truths
Don’t settle for half-truths; seek meaningful joy.
—
Tarot.com, The Orlando Sentinel, 26 Feb. 2026
Some information is useful, some is harmful and some are half-truths that can cost you real money.
—Miriam Fauzia, Dallas Morning News, 18 Feb. 2026
People who rely on half-truths often underestimate how visible their behavior becomes.
—Johnny C. Taylor Jr, USA Today, 3 Feb. 2026
In this environment, influencers and politically motivated accounts now function as de facto broadcasters, often spreading half-truths, distortions or outright falsehoods with little accountability.
—Editorial, Boston Herald, 1 Feb. 2026
Over the next 90 years, tourism in Natchez blossomed around half-truths and omissions.
—Joe Sills, Forbes.com, 30 Jan. 2026
Social media spread half-truths faster than public-health leaders could correct them.
—Robert Pearl, Mercury News, 30 Dec. 2025
In a field crowded by lore, half-truths, and marketing copy, Chartreuse distinguishes itself by being the real deal.
—Jason O'Bryan, Robb Report, 6 Dec. 2025
In a world where images are so numerous and so difficult to understand, truth itself can be in danger, threatened by false interpretations and distorted, misleading half-truths.
—Literary Hub, 3 Sep. 2025
Tarot.com, The Orlando Sentinel, 26 Feb. 2026
Some information is useful, some is harmful and some are half-truths that can cost you real money.
—Miriam Fauzia, Dallas Morning News, 18 Feb. 2026
People who rely on half-truths often underestimate how visible their behavior becomes.
—Johnny C. Taylor Jr, USA Today, 3 Feb. 2026
In this environment, influencers and politically motivated accounts now function as de facto broadcasters, often spreading half-truths, distortions or outright falsehoods with little accountability.
—Editorial, Boston Herald, 1 Feb. 2026
Over the next 90 years, tourism in Natchez blossomed around half-truths and omissions.
—Joe Sills, Forbes.com, 30 Jan. 2026
Social media spread half-truths faster than public-health leaders could correct them.
—Robert Pearl, Mercury News, 30 Dec. 2025
In a field crowded by lore, half-truths, and marketing copy, Chartreuse distinguishes itself by being the real deal.
—Jason O'Bryan, Robb Report, 6 Dec. 2025
In a world where images are so numerous and so difficult to understand, truth itself can be in danger, threatened by false interpretations and distorted, misleading half-truths.
—Literary Hub, 3 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for half-truths
Noun
-
Just as lies were used to justify our attack on Iraq over 20 years ago.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
30 Mar. 2026
-
Below, according to a San Francisco Chronicle video, in bold white letters on the sand, demonstrators displayed another message saying no to ICE, wars, lies and kings.—
Sarah D. Wire,
USA Today,
29 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Wessels catches gleams to follow not only in magical tales but in twinkling memories, sparkling wordplay, the films of silver-screen star Veronica Lake, and his charm of a daughter, the inspiration of a half-dozen poems that take their titles from spells.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
1 Apr. 2026
-
Other folk tales trace them back to Noah's ark.—
Emily Feng,
NPR,
1 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Often, this is a useful guideline, and limits, in general, are very much the friend of the fiction writer, but there are certain stories that benefit from a sense of instability.—
Nina Mesfin,
New Yorker,
5 Apr. 2026
-
As is common in the policing profession, officers and supervisors sometimes share experiences and stories for a variety of reasons.—
Nick Ferraro,
Twin Cities,
4 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
At Ulrik, these biomorphic forms echoed the surreal distortions that Bettina documented in Manhattan’s corporate architecture.—
Katherine Rochester,
Artforum,
1 Apr. 2026
-
On the surface, my life seemed organized around the pursuit of truth, but I was simultaneously being drawn into the heady distortions of the digital sphere, spending more and more of my time online.—
Hannah Gold,
Harpers Magazine,
24 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Half-truths.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/half-truths. Accessed 6 Apr. 2026.
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