belying

verb

present participle of belie
1
as in misrepresenting
to give a misleading impression of his bright smile belied his actual mood, which was really one of great sadness

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in refuting
to prove to be false the latest information belies the old theory

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in obscuring
to keep secret or shut off from view the security council issued false assurances that belied the true gravity of the situation

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 belying Dawn ends the resurrection spell in response, belying her own statement. — Emily Temple, Literary Hub, 18 Aug. 2026 The image is whimsical, belying their instinct to flee the harsh world outside that tent, and through it, the audience gets to understand their psyche and innermost thoughts. — Murtada Elfadl, Variety, 18 Aug. 2026 For most islanders—not to mention for most of us watching—the search for love is a false grail, belying a rabid, desperate host of social needs that actively undermine the pursuit. — Lillian Fishman, New Yorker, 27 June 2026 With Erik Spoelstra saying all the right things but belying them with his actions, the Kel’el Ware-Bam Adebayo pairing appeared to have a limited future. — Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 27 June 2026 Inside, its luxurious custom leather seats and carbon fiber trim transform the Shelby into a quality cabin belying its F-150 roots. — Peter Lyon, Forbes.com, 27 Aug. 2025 On an unremarkable clay tennis court in the Spanish city of Alicante, watched on by only a handful of spectators, two teenagers swipe the ball to one another with surprising vigor, belying their scrawny, adolescent frames. — George Ramsay, CNN Money, 25 Aug. 2025 Henry communicates the weight of Ray’s past with a flicker in his gaze and a shadow that falls over his face, belying the easy confidence established by the character’s introduction. — Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 25 Aug. 2025 Adem Zorgane has long been a statistical anomaly in Belgian football, his incredible passing numbers belying his position at the heart of a distinctly mid-table side. — Thom Harris, New York Times, 14 Apr. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for belying
  1. misrepresenting
  2. refuting
  3. obscuring
  4. concealing
  5. overturning
  6. hiding
  7. covering
  8. disguising
Verb
  • Bonta, in a statement, accused Paramount of leaking and misrepresenting information the two sides had discussed during a preliminary session Friday.
    — Meg James, Los Angeles Times, 24 Aug. 2026
  • The two sides had been due to meet Monday for preliminary discussions for a possible settlement, but Bonta called off the meeting late Sunday, after accusing Paramount of misrepresenting details of an earlier meeting held on Friday.
    — Elsa Keslassy, Variety, 24 Aug. 2026
Definition of misrepresenting
Verb
  • So thankful to Alabama Athletics for refuting it on my behalf.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 21 Aug. 2026
  • Minneapolis’s Walker Art Center and the artist Olalekan Jeyifous are refuting accusations by some museum visitors that his work was made using generative AI, reports MPR News.
    — Brian Boucher, ARTnews.com, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of refuting
Verb
  • Forward vision is excellent because there’s no roof, A-pillars, or much of anything obscuring your view (the only model above the Signature Edition, called the Grand Touring, does include a roof of sorts).
    — William Roberson, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2026
  • The glass is reeded and translucent, obscuring the line cooks behind it.
    — Alexis Benveniste, Architectural Digest, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of obscuring
Verb
  • Since then, the front portico of the building has been covered by a construction tarp, concealing most of its name.
    — Jacob Rosen, CBS News, 27 Aug. 2026
  • The group is accused of diverting association dues, insurance, loan proceeds and collection revenues (others fees such as fines or special assessments) while concealing the flow of the money.
    — Sofia Saric, Miami Herald, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of concealing
Verb
  • The garbage truck continued through the intersection, hitting a Chevy Colorado before overturning onto its side.
    — Shelley Bortz, CBS News, 27 Aug. 2026
  • In May, the South Carolina Supreme Court agreed, overturning Murdaugh’s double-murder conviction and ordered a new trial.
    — KC Baker, PEOPLE, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of overturning
Verb
  • The trio were found hiding in a ditch about 200 yards from where they were pulled over, according to the news release.
    — Daniel McFadin, Arkansas Online, 31 Aug. 2026
  • After six months of war, the deadlock has left the Islamic Republic bitterly divided, while its ultimate arbiter, Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, remains in hiding.
    — Mostafa Salem, CNN Money, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of hiding
Verb
  • Pack a tube of petroleum jelly (Vaseline) in your first aid kit instead of antibiotic ointment and remember to flush all scrapes and cuts with copious amounts of clean water before covering them with the jelly.
    — Dr. Jill Grimes, CNN Money, 29 Aug. 2026
  • Ground surveys can provide more detailed information at a particular site, but covering an entire subway corridor that way would be difficult.
    — Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of covering
Verb
  • John is then abducted by a group led by an alien named Antaan, who tells him about the Manhunters—ancient synthetic predecessors to the Green Lantern Corps capable of disguising themselves as other species.
    — Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2026
  • Pitchers are disguising their four-seamers up with more cutters in than ever before, so just advising him to be more aggressive in the zone is not good enough.
    — Eno Sarris, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of disguising

Browse Nearby Words

belvederes
belying
bemire
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Cite this Entry

“Belying.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/belying. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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