falsehood

noun

false·​hood ˈfȯls-ˌhu̇d How to pronounce falsehood (audio)
1
: an untrue statement : lie
2
: absence of truth or accuracy
3
: the practice of lying : mendacity

Examples of falsehood in a Sentence

the line between truth and falsehood the possibility of a perpetual motion machine is one falsehood that has been disproved by modern physics
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Many of the most outrageous falsehoods were aimed at Bolsonaro’s opponent, Fernando Haddad. Jon Lee Anderson, New Yorker, 7 Apr. 2025 There can be lots of falsehoods that the AI assumes to be utterly true. Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 3 Apr. 2025 In everything from politics to health, falsehoods propagated across social media cause immense harm. David Robert Grimes, Scientific American, 3 Apr. 2025 Newsmax agreed to pay Smartmatic $40 million in the conservative cable network's settlement of the defamation lawsuit over the airing of 2020 election falsehoods, per a regulatory filing. Rebecca Falconer, Axios, 14 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for falsehood

Word History

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of falsehood was in the 13th century

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Cite this Entry

“Falsehood.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/falsehood. Accessed 22 Apr. 2025.

Kids Definition

falsehood

noun
false·​hood ˈfȯls-ˌhu̇d How to pronounce falsehood (audio)
1
: an untrue statement : lie
2
: the habit of lying

More from Merriam-Webster on falsehood

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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