half-truth

noun

Definition of half-truthnext
as in lie
a statement that is only partly true and that is intended to deceive people I'm tired of all these half-truths—I want to know the real story.

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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of half-truth The Soviet Union embraced Lenin’s concept of agitation—the use of emotional slogans and half-truths to influence the masses. — Marc Fisher, New Yorker, 30 July 2026 This statement, which is repeated like a mantra in countless spaces, is only a half-truth. — Vicente Pava, Forbes.com, 2 July 2026 This is a dangerous half-truth. — Randy Niemeyer, Chicago Tribune, 13 Mar. 2026 Don’t settle for half-truths; seek meaningful joy. — Tarot.com, The Orlando Sentinel, 26 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for half-truth
Recent Examples of Synonyms for half-truth
  1. lie
  2. tale
  3. story
Noun
  • The ad also accuses his Democratic opponent, Brian Poindexter, of telling lies about him.
    — Lara Korte The Washington Post, Arkansas Online, 18 Oct. 2026
  • The allegations hurled by state officials against Orange County were based on flat-out lies.
    — Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board, The Orlando Sentinel, 18 Oct. 2026
Definition of lie
Noun
  • Wildwood is a dark tale, with whispers of a witch, set against the beautiful yet formidable backdrop of rural New England.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 23 Oct. 2026
  • The tale is energized by the thoughtful performances of Hanns Zischler, as Mann, and Sandra Hüller, as the author’s daughter Erika, who accompanies him while reviving conflicts from her own past.
    — Dan Stahl, New Yorker, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of tale
Noun
  • The Same Curve, Every Time Skeptics have been telling this story for a hundred years.
    — Stephen Messer, Fortune, 23 Oct. 2026
  • But all that warm, crowd-pleasing material is incongruously, fascinatingly, and not so comfortably fitted inside a story about great loss.
    — Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of story

Browse Nearby Words

half-pints
half-truth
half-truths
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Cite this Entry

“Half-truth.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/half-truth. Accessed 28 Oct. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on half-truth

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about half-truth

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