Synonyms for lie
- noun
- verb
Most common
Synonyms by meaning
Noun
1. Prevarication — an intentionally false statement; an intentional falsehood
prevarication, untruth, falsehood, fib informal, mendacity, falsity, story, deception, whopper informal, falsification, fabrication, myth, anti-fact, misrepresentation, tall tale, canard, alternative fact, non-sense, fable, fiction, invention, flam dated
Other
half-truth, false witness, couch, lie-in, range, attitude, wisker slang dated UK, liement rare
Verb
Definitions
- n. 1
An intentionally false statement; an intentional falsehood.
I knew he was telling a lie by his facial expression.
- v. 1
To rest in a horizontal position on a surface.
Under an oak were lying asleep a pair of shepherds.
Choose the right word
A lie, lying, or falsehood, is the uttering of what one knows to be false with intent to deceive. The novel or drama is not a lie, because not meant to deceive; the ancient teaching that the earth was flat was not a lie, because not then known to be false.
J. C. Fernald, English Synonyms and Antonyms (1914)
Example sentences
- falsehood It is difficult to distinguish truth from falsehood.
Popularity over time
| Word | 1850 → 2019 | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| lie | steady | |
| falsehood | steady | |
| untruth | steady | |
| mendacity | rising | |
| prevarication | rising |
Use in printed books, per decade from 1850 to 2019.
By length
- 3 letters
- fib1
- 4 letters
- rest1, myth1, flam1
- 5 letters
- story2, range1, exist2, couch1, dwell1, fable2
- 6 letters
- remain2, repose2, canard2, hunker2, grovel2, wisker
- 7 letters
- fiction2, consist2, whopper2, falsify3, recline2, falsity3, untruth2, liement
- 8 letters
- attitude3
- 9 letters
- invention3, deception3, falsehood2, mendacity4
- 11 letters
- fabrication4, prevaricate4
- 13 letters
- falsification5, prevarication5
The small number after each word is its number of syllables (story2 = 2 syllables).