Truth
1 Americannoun
noun
PLURAL
truths-
the true or actual state of a matter.
He tried to find out the truth.
- Synonyms:
- fact
- Antonyms:
- falsehood
-
conformity with fact or reality; verity.
the truth of a statement.
- Synonyms:
- veracity
- Antonyms:
- falsity
-
a verified or indisputable fact, proposition, principle, or the like.
mathematical truths.
-
the state or character of being true.
- Antonyms:
- falsity
-
actuality or actual existence.
-
(often initial capital letter) ideal or fundamental reality apart from and transcending perceived experience.
the basic truths of life.
-
agreement with a standard or original.
-
accuracy, as of position or adjustment.
-
honesty; sincerity; truthfulness.
- Antonyms:
- falsity
-
Archaic. fidelity or constancy.
idioms
noun
-
the quality of being true, genuine, actual, or factual
the truth of his statement was attested
-
something that is true as opposed to false
you did not tell me the truth
-
a proven or verified principle or statement; fact
the truths of astronomy
-
(usually plural) a system of concepts purporting to represent some aspect of the world
the truths of ancient religions
-
fidelity to a required standard or law
-
faithful reproduction or portrayal
the truth of a portrait
-
an obvious fact; truism; platitude
-
honesty, reliability, or veracity
the truth of her nature
-
accuracy, as in the setting, adjustment, or position of something, such as a mechanical instrument
-
the state or quality of being faithful; allegiance
Usage
What is a basic definition of truth? Truth means the actual state of a matter, an adherence to reality, or an indisputable fact. Truth has several other senses as a noun.The truth refers to the version of reality that we exist in. Putting it more simply, if you are “telling the truth,” you are describing the world as it actually is and not making things up or telling lies.
- Real-life examples: Police detectives try to discover the truth when investigating crimes so that they don’t arrest the wrong person. Criminals often hide or distort the truth so that they won’t get caught.
- Used in a sentence: I told my mom I passed the test, but the truth was that I failed it badly.
- Used in a sentence: We doubted that there was any truth to his claims of seeing Bigfoot.
- Used in a sentence: Parents often have to tell their kids sad truths when a pet dies.
Commonly Confused
See truism.
Other Word Forms
- mistruth noun
- nontruth noun
- truthless adjective
- truthlessness noun
Etymology
Origin of truth
First recorded before 900; Middle English treuthe, Old English trēowth (cognate with Old Norse tryggth “faith”); true, -th 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 truth is, it’s good for a story, that I lied.
"In truth, the material needs more work," she cautioned.
From BBC
“It can cause us to ignore the truth, the objective truth, in favor of how a person feels.”
From Salon
"Proper treatment and recovery are essential for uncovering the truth," it added.
From Barron's
College courses must actively cultivate the virtues of curiosity, open-mindedness, intellectual humility, analytical rigor and, above all, dedication to the pursuit of truth.
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.
