belie
Americanverb (used with object)
-
to show to be false; contradict.
His trembling hands belied his calm voice.
- Antonyms:
- support, verify, substantiate, confirm, prove
-
to misrepresent.
The newspaper belied the facts.
-
to act unworthily according to the standards of (a tradition, one's ancestry, one's faith, etc.).
-
Archaic. to lie about; slander.
verb
-
to show to be untrue; contradict
-
to misrepresent; disguise the nature of
the report belied the real extent of the damage
-
to fail to justify; disappoint
Related Words
See misrepresent.
Other Word Forms
- belier noun
Etymology
Origin of belie
First recorded before 1000; Middle English belyen, Old English belēogan; be-, lie 1
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The aforementioned film inspired by his life shows what it’s like to live with involuntary vocal tics that belie your own beliefs or intentions.
From Los Angeles Times
Tuesday’s bounce put the S&P 500 fractionally ahead for the year, but that break-even showing belies massive moves underneath.
From Barron's
“I was quite concerned that we had missed something,” Malone said, his simple words belying the deep emotion in his voice.
From Literature
“It’s not just work on the sport, not just to teach me the jumps,” said Carrillo, whose slender 5-foot-7 build and wide smile belie a fierce competitiveness that sometimes has been his worst enemy.
From Los Angeles Times
The small weekly move belied a turbulent stretch.
From Barron's
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
