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🤥 To say untrue 🛏️ To rest flat ❌ A false statement 🔍 To exist ⛳ Position on ground
to lie

to lie

∞ 1.3
To say something that is not true to trick someone
  • verb
  • /laɪ/
translation icon : mentir
  • He tried to lie about his whereabouts that night, but we had proof he was elsewhere.
  • people lie
  • choose to lie
  • lie and cheat

And remember, facts don't lie, but I just might.

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Examples

  • In September, Nifong spent a brief time behind bars for having lied to the court.

    Academic text (2008)

  • I mean, you did lie to him all these years.

    Joey & Rex Save the Church (2022)

  • But he continues to lie and lie and lie.

    I've Had It

  • We were not going to get up on the stand and lie to the judge.

    Academic text (1999)

  • You realized that you have been lying to yourself all these years.

  • And in that moment, I lied and I said fine.

    The Diary Of A CEO

  • You lied to me last night.

    The China Syndrome (1979)

  • The gossip was bad enough, but lying about its contents was even worse.

    Academic text (2008)

  • Lee is fired when the firm learns he lied about passing the bar exam.

    Academic text (1999)

  • Hope you don't think I've been lying to you about other things, sugar.

    Fiction book (1990)

Synonyms

to pretend
vsto lie
∞ 2.3

To act as if something is true when it is not

says things that are untrue with intent to trick rather than acting physically
to fool
vsto lie
704 2.1

To trick someone into believing something that is not true

says things that are untrue rather than only tricking by action
to deceive
vsto lie
270 3.9

To make someone believe something that is not true to get an advantage

says things that are not true on purpose to trick others
to distort
vsto lie
97 4.6

To change facts so they become false or misleading

says things that are untrue outright instead of subtly changing facts
to mislead
vsto lie
87 3.9

Make someone believe something that is not true

says untrue things rather than guiding belief by omission or hints
to misrepresent
vsto lie
71 6.9

Give a false story about someone or something to trick people

says untrue things instead of reshaping an entire account
to fabricate
vsto lie
50 7.3

To make up false information to trick people

says untrue things rather than inventing facts or records
to delude
vsto lie
48 6.3

Make someone believe something that is not true

says untrue things to trick others rather than causing long term belief
to falsify
vsto lie
  • Formal
44 7.3

To make documents or facts not true to deceive people

says untrue things rather than altering records or evidence
to lie through one's teeth
vsto lie
  • Informal
11 7.6

Say something that is not true in a bold, obvious way

says untrue things with intent to trick rather than being bold
to blow smoke
vsto lie
  • Informal
11 9.0

Say things that are not true to make people believe you

says things that are untrue plainly rather than exaggerating for effect
to bend the truth
vsto lie
3 5.9

To say something that is not exactly what happened to make it look better

says things that are untrue directly rather than only softening facts
to speak with a forked tongue
vsto lie
  • Informal
1 9.6

Say things that are not true to trick others

says things that are untrue clearly rather than using ambiguity
to play false
vsto lie
1 8.1

To trick someone who trusts you by hiding your real plans to get something for yourself

says things that are untrue to trick rather than hiding motives
economical with the truth
vsto lie
  • Literature
1 8.6

Not telling the whole truth to hide facts or avoid blame

says things that are untrue openly rather than only hiding parts
to give a line
vsto lie
  • Informal
8.0

To tell someone a false story to impress or trick them

says things that are untrue directly rather than giving a flattering story
to put one across
vsto lie
  • UK
9.0

Make someone believe something false to trick them

says things that are untrue with intent to trick rather than using other tricks
to flam
vsto lie
  • Slang
9.9

To trick or cheat someone by lying

says things that are untrue directly rather than only tricking by stories
to pull the long bow
vsto lie
  • Archaic
9.1

To tell a story in a way that makes what happened sound bigger or not true

says things that are untrue directly rather than mainly exaggerating events

Antonyms

to tell the truth
814 2.7

Say what really happened without hiding facts or lying

Idioms

not going to lie
  • Slang
24 8.3

A phrase that shows the next thing you say is honest

to live a lie
  • Informal
22 7.2

To hide the truth about yourself by pretending something else is true

to lie through one's teeth
  • Informal
11 7.6

Say something that is not true in a bold, obvious way

to let sleeping dogs lie
  • Informal
4 6.9

Avoid talking about old problems to prevent more arguments

where one's interests lie
1 6.2

The things or activities that matter most to someone

to lie at someone's door
7.8

To be someone's fault or responsibility

to make your bed and lie in it
  • Informal
7.0

To accept the bad results of your own choices

Phrasal Verbs

to lie down
221 1.0

To put your body flat on a bed to rest or sleep

to lie in
110 6.7

Come from a particular cause or reason

to lie around
  • Informal
43 3.7

To spend time doing nothing useful

to lie in
  • Archaic
35 8.5

Stay in bed for some time after giving birth

to lie awake
22 3.7

To stay in bed and not be able to sleep

to lie low
  • Informal
14 5.6

To stay out of sight to avoid trouble

to lie dormant
12 6.7

To be inactive but able to become active again

to lie in wait
8 6.8

To hide and wait to attack someone by surprise

to lie with
  • NSFW
6 9.1

To have sex with someone

to lie about
  • UK
4 4.0

To spend time resting or doing nothing in one place

to give the lie to
  • Formal
1 8.4

To show that something is not true

to lie with
1 6.6

To rest on a sofa next to someone or while reading

to lie squarely with
  • Formal
1 7.5

Be clearly the responsibility of a person or group

Compounds

lie detector
  • Specialized
52 4.4

A machine that measures blood pressure, pulse, and breathing to check if someone is lying

white lie
  • Informal
18 3.4

A small untrue statement people tell to avoid hurting someone's feelings

bald-faced lie
  • Informal
3 5.4

An obvious statement that is not true and said without shame

lie detector
  • Neologism
2 3.5

A computer system that checks speech, face, and behaviour to find lies

lie-in
  • UK
1 6.1

Staying in bed later than usual to rest or relax

lie-abed
  • Archaic
9.9

A person who often stays in bed until late in the morning

lie-in
  • UK
7.4

A public protest where people lie down to block access or draw attention

How Deceptive

to perjure
  • Formal
31 9.9
to fabricate
50 7.3
to lie
∞ 1.3
fib
  • Informal
58 3.7
to stretch the truth
  • Informal
5 5.3

Surface Forms

lie infinitive
lied past
lied past participle
lying present participle
lies third person singular

Etymology

Lie meaning 'to say something that is not true' comes from an old word for 'false speech', so to lie is to say something you know is not true, and a person who does this is a liar.