as in lie detector
an instrument for detecting physical signs of the tension that goes with lying
intelligence agents were trained to fool the polygraph
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Recent Examples of polygraph
The stories of a half-dozen staffers who’d been subjected to hours-long polygraphs spread inside the agency.
—
Jonathan Blitzer, New Yorker, 17 Feb. 2026
Parents and neighbors submitted to polygraph tests.
—Kristine Phillips, IndyStar, 5 Feb. 2026
Still, to sit opposite him at a small table is just a bit like being hooked to a polygraph, despite his air of mannerly warmth.
—Fred Schruers, Rolling Stone, 26 Jan. 2026
Bob Atrops hired a lawyer a week after Debe's body was found and declined to take a polygraph.
—Sarah Prior, CBS News, 25 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for polygraph
Jonathan Blitzer, New Yorker, 17 Feb. 2026
Parents and neighbors submitted to polygraph tests.
—Kristine Phillips, IndyStar, 5 Feb. 2026
Still, to sit opposite him at a small table is just a bit like being hooked to a polygraph, despite his air of mannerly warmth.
—Fred Schruers, Rolling Stone, 26 Jan. 2026
Bob Atrops hired a lawyer a week after Debe's body was found and declined to take a polygraph.
—Sarah Prior, CBS News, 25 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for polygraph
Recent Examples of Synonyms for polygraph
lie detector
Noun
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In his letter to Weber, Curtis promised to take a lie detector test after each election.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
25 Mar. 2026
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Her work has prompted sweeping changes to laws and regulations, including a California-wide ban on a debunked lie detector technology used to interrogate prisoners.—
Susie Neilson,
San Francisco Chronicle,
5 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Polygraph.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/polygraph. Accessed 6 Apr. 2026.
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