falsehood
noun
false·hood
ˈfȯls-ˌhu̇d 
1
: an untrue statement : lie
spreading falsehoods about his opponent
2
: absence of truth or accuracy
The falsehood of this narrative made it no less effective.—
Peniel E. Joseph
Peniel E. Joseph3
: the practice of lying : mendacity
… Thomas Jefferson … accused the press of engaging in "falsehood and defamation" while covering his administration.—Albert R. Hunt
Albert R. HuntExamples 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
Jones has vowed to keep broadcasting through a new company he’s founded and remains an inflammatory and notable figure in the far-right media system after decades of spouting falsehoods and bigotry.
—Joseph Konig, PEOPLE, 24 Apr. 2026
There are questions being raised, and the best antidote for falsehood is the truth in accuracy.
—Stepheny Price , Sarah Rumpf-Whitten , Michael Ruiz, FOXNews.com, 17 Apr. 2026
Williams, of course, worked at NBC for nearly three decades, including an 11-year run at NBC Nightly News that ended 2015 after exaggerations and falsehoods were found in some of his reporting, including reports from Iraq, and from New Orleans after it had been ravaged by Hurricane Katrina.
—Alex Weprin, HollywoodReporter, 16 Apr. 2026
For example, lying isn’t merely uttering a falsehood.
—Robert B. Talisse, The Conversation, 10 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for falsehood
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Joseph Konig, PEOPLE, 24 Apr. 2026
There are questions being raised, and the best antidote for falsehood is the truth in accuracy.
—Stepheny Price , Sarah Rumpf-Whitten , Michael Ruiz, FOXNews.com, 17 Apr. 2026
Williams, of course, worked at NBC for nearly three decades, including an 11-year run at NBC Nightly News that ended 2015 after exaggerations and falsehoods were found in some of his reporting, including reports from Iraq, and from New Orleans after it had been ravaged by Hurricane Katrina.
—Alex Weprin, HollywoodReporter, 16 Apr. 2026
For example, lying isn’t merely uttering a falsehood.
—Robert B. Talisse, The Conversation, 10 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for falsehood
Cite this Entry
“Falsehood.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/falsehood. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
falsehood
noun
false·hood
ˈfȯls-ˌhu̇d
1
: an untrue statement : lie
2
: the habit of lying
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