lying

¹ American  

[lahy-ing] / ˈlaɪ ɪŋ /

noun

1. the telling of lies, or false statements; untruthfulness.

   From boyhood, he has never been good at lying.

   Synonyms:

   prevarication, mendacity, falsity, falsehood

   Antonyms:

   veracity, truth

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adjective

1. telling or containing lies; deliberately untruthful; deceitful; false.

   a lying report.

   Synonyms:

   counterfeit, sham, fallacious, mendacious, misleading, deceptive

   Antonyms:

   trustworthy, accurate, correct, actual, candid, true

lying ² American  

[lahy-ing] / ˈlaɪ ɪŋ /

verb

1. present participle of lie.

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lying ¹ British  

/ ˈlaɪɪŋ /

verb

1. the present participle and gerund of lie 1

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lying ² British  

/ ˈlaɪɪŋ /

verb

1. the present participle and gerund of lie 2

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Other Word Forms

• lyingly
  adverb

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Etymology

Origin of lying

First recorded in 1175–1225; Middle English; see origin at lie ¹, -ing ¹, -ing ²

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Explanation

If you engage in lying, you're fabricating, prevaricating, or speaking falsely. You are deliberately deviating from the truth. If lying is the act of telling a lie, then "lying through your teeth" is the act of telling a bold lie, even if you know your listener will immediately know you're lying. Descended from a line in a Marx Brothers film, "Who you gonna believe, me or your lying eyes?" is spoken (ironically) by someone who's been caught lying and, instead of admitting it, says the evidence is wrong, as well as the person who's looking right at it.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

lying

Campbell, a fourth-year player who made his first Pro Bowl last season, was lying face down and motionless on the field after tackling Vikings tight end T.J.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 2, 2026

The King walked along a new boardwalk through the wetlands to see the conservation work being done to protect this vulnerable, low lying island from climate change.

From BBC ● Oct. 28, 2026

Further, lying to a government agency is a federal crime, which should deter imposters.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 28, 2026

Some carriages were lying on their side in tangles of metal debris at the bottom of an embankment, while dozens of emergency services vehicles were racing to and from the site.

From Barron's ● Oct. 28, 2026

I ducked inside to see Anna lying in her straw bed, stiff and unmoving.

From "Nory Ryan’s Song" by Patricia Reilly Giff

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Related Words

• misleading

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