1
as in delusion
a false idea or belief
their argument rests on a fundamental untruth which has long been discredited
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in lie
a statement known by its maker to be untrue and made in order to deceive
the Web site is rife with untruths and misleading information
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in deception
the quality or state of being false
there is an element of untruth in all forms of art: works of art provide only a semblance of reality
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of untruth
Most of the papers featuring naked women and naked untruths belonged to Rupert Murdoch.
—
Andrew O’Hagan, New Yorker, 2 Feb. 2026
Beyond easily demonstrable untruths about Ukraine, what’s unfortunate about Slezkine’s historical analysis is its failure to ponder cause and effect, even at a superficial level.
—John Connelly, The New York Review of Books, 18 Dec. 2025
His newest book makes such fact-finding a key theme, demonstrating the instability of a political system grounded in untruth—and investigating how populist leaders can wield that for their own ends.
—Robert Rubsam, The Atlantic, 18 Dec. 2025
Trump is just straight-up doling out untruths – and blaming Biden.
—David Goldman, CNN Money, 4 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for untruth
Andrew O’Hagan, New Yorker, 2 Feb. 2026
Beyond easily demonstrable untruths about Ukraine, what’s unfortunate about Slezkine’s historical analysis is its failure to ponder cause and effect, even at a superficial level.
—John Connelly, The New York Review of Books, 18 Dec. 2025
His newest book makes such fact-finding a key theme, demonstrating the instability of a political system grounded in untruth—and investigating how populist leaders can wield that for their own ends.
—Robert Rubsam, The Atlantic, 18 Dec. 2025
Trump is just straight-up doling out untruths – and blaming Biden.
—David Goldman, CNN Money, 4 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for untruth
Recent Examples of Synonyms for untruth
Noun
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Instead, every new Drake project is a buffet of humiliation, mortification, and self-serving delusion.—
Jayson Greene,
Pitchfork,
18 May 2026
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As his daughter Kyoko (Banno) struggles to keep their fractured home together, Shinji drifts further into delusion, finding his sole tether to reality at a bar run by Mari (Ahn).—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
17 May 2026
Noun
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There, a mad, out-of-control Mary lives on as tenaciously as George Washington’s inability to tell a lie.—
Thomas Mallon,
New Yorker,
18 May 2026
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As their lies unravel, Nora and Jack try to outsmart one another.—
Brent Lang,
Variety,
18 May 2026
Noun
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Widespread deception was rampant, with businesses spending far more on green marketing than on actual sustainability improvements.—
Suvrat Dhanorkar,
The Conversation,
18 May 2026
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That, along with the angle of his arm—his arm slot, in baseball terms—adds another layer of deception.—
Louisa Thomas,
New Yorker,
17 May 2026
Noun
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Some believe Benjamin Franklin wanted the wild turkey to be the national bird because the eagle steals food from other birds, but Kochersperger said that’s a myth.—
Sarah Raza,
Chicago Tribune,
15 May 2026
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Like so many historical myths, this swashbuckling tale of pirates, court accusations, and gossip, which frames the rags-to-riches emergence of this American family, is rife with historical fiction.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
14 May 2026
Noun
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Because either McCluskie is one heck of a con man who rolled both Becerra and Williamson, making both believe what was happening was kosher with entirely different tales, or someone isn’t being entirely honest.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
15 May 2026
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The bittersweet tale infused with humor and sadness chimed with the Cannes audience.—
Melanie Goodfellow,
Deadline,
15 May 2026
Noun
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Of course, the retort is that this would be irritating and exasperating to be continually deluged with alerts about AI deceptiveness.—
Lance Eliot,
Forbes.com,
24 Aug. 2025
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Beyond the deceptiveness of the narrow material view, spiritual light and hope are always present to be found and felt.—
Sue Brightman,
Christian Science Monitor,
3 Jan. 2025
Noun
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The lobby’s circular floor plan gives the illusion of a lily pad floating atop a koi pond.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
20 May 2026
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Over the course of less than two months, these Islanders would be disarmed by the sun, the machinations of the producers, and the illusion of isolation and being apart from their phones for the first time in their lives.—
Anna Peele,
Vulture,
20 May 2026
Noun
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Subscribe to read this story ad-free Get unlimited access to ad-free articles and exclusive content.—
Jo Yurcaba,
NBC news,
16 May 2026
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Eggs, sushi, and crypto The account paid attention to smaller stories, too.—
Eva Roytburg,
Fortune,
16 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Untruth.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/untruth. Accessed 23 May. 2026.
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