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Synonyms

give the lie to

Idioms  
  1. Show to be false, refute, as in His black eye gave the lie to his contention that he hadn't been fighting. [First half of 1500s]


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.

They said they expect “overwhelming evidence to give the lie to this defense,” and they called it improper and prejudicial for Bankman-Fried to malign Ellison’s credibility before the trial.

From Seattle Times • Jul. 21, 2023

Those who preach from Exodus, and from Matthew, Isaiah and Amos, give the lie to the idea that religious faith is inevitably conformist, reactionary or inclined toward worship of those in power.

From Washington Post • Jul. 21, 2019

Here are a few films that give the lie to the lyric “summertime and the livin’ is easy.”

From New York Times • Apr. 29, 2016

Even in the most benign cases—like my Dungeons & Dragons essay—they can give the lie to our attempts at self-reinvention, suggesting that we’re playing roles rather than simply being.

From Slate • Oct. 9, 2015

They seemed to give the lie to his magnetic smile, his vivacious manners, and his deep and perfectly modulated voice.

From The Gray Phantom by Landon, Herman