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 This statement, which is repeated like a mantra in countless spaces, is only a half-truth. — Vicente Pava, Forbes.com, 2 July 2026 Some information is useful, some is harmful and some are half-truths that can cost you real money. — Miriam Fauzia, Dallas Morning News, 18 Feb. 2026 People who rely on half-truths often underestimate how visible their behavior becomes. — Johnny C. Taylor Jr, USA Today, 3 Feb. 2026 In this environment, influencers and politically motivated accounts now function as de facto broadcasters, often spreading half-truths, distortions or outright falsehoods with little accountability. — Editorial, Boston Herald, 1 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for half-truth
Recent Examples of Synonyms for half-truth
  1. lie
  2. tale
  3. story
Noun
  • The plane also includes a spacious press cabin, according to a pool reporter onboard, with lie-flat seats that feature a massage function and individual TV screens.
    — Kaia Hubbard, CBS News, 1 July 2026
  • The press cabin contains 14 lie-flat pods, including large tan leather seats with luxury features such as lumbar supports and massage functions.
    — Emily Chang, ABC News, 1 July 2026
Definition of lie
Noun
  • The agonizing legal circus surrounding Sumner Redstone’s final years at Paramount/Viacom is a sobering cautionary tale.
    — Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, Fortune, 6 July 2026
  • The past few summers have seen nightmare tales from heatwaves in Europe — the continent with the fastest-rising temperatures under global warming.
    — Julia Buckley, CNN Money, 6 July 2026
Definition of tale
Noun
  • This story will be updated as more information becomes available.
    — David Goodhue, Miami Herald, 5 July 2026
  • Gil was trapped beneath more than 100 tons of rubble after the partial collapse of the Galerias Playa Grande commercial center, which includes buildings nine and four stories tall.
    — Mery Mogollón, Los Angeles Times, 5 July 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 7 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on half-truth

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about half-truth

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