belie

[bih-lahy]

verb (used with object), be·lied, be·ly·ing.

to show to be false; contradict: His trembling hands belied his calm voice.

to misrepresent: The newspaper belied the facts.

to act unworthily according to the standards of (a tradition, one's ancestry, one's faith, etc.).

Archaic. to lie about; slander.

Origin of belie

before 1000; Middle English belyen, Old English belēogan. See be-, lie¹

Related formsbe·li·er, nounun·be·lied, adjective

Synonyms for belie

1. refute, disprove, controvert, repudiate, confute, gainsay. 1, 2. See misrepresent.

Antonyms for belie

1. prove, verify, support.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for belied

Contemporary Examples of belied

But his words felt forced and were belied his 2004 vote to oppose marking Martin Luther King Jr.
Steve Scalise Shows There’s a Fine Line Between Confederate & Southern
Lloyd Green
January 2, 2015
There were, though, other loves that belied the appearance of a desiccated, workaholic spinster.
Gertrude of Arabia, the Woman Who Invented Iraq
Clive Irving
June 17, 2014
With a soft smile and a shrug that belied by his steely eyes, he replied, “Start another.”
Masahiro Tanaka Is the Yankees' $155M Lethal Weapon and Strikeout Machine
Allen Barra
May 9, 2014
He belied his stated remorse as it became clear his primary regret was that he had landed himself behind bars.
34 Years Later, Gunshots Still Echo From a Senseless Killing
Michael Daly
March 11, 2013
Spike, she of the punk-rocker hair that belied a gentle personality, eventually opted to keep the baby (Emma).
Wheels Is Dead: Remembering a Canadian Childhood
Glynnis MacNicol
March 1, 2012

Historical Examples of belied

Four years of new experience have not belied our historic instinct.
United States Presidents' Inaugural Speeches
Various
He had a feeling of security that was belied by all his experience with men.
White Fang
Jack London
But her rich tones were full of a genuine eagerness that belied the look.
The Law-Breakers
Ridgwell Cullum
The mournful irony of the words was belied by the tremulous voice.
The Eternal City
Hall Caine
"I trust not," said Gregory, in accents of relief that belied him.
The Tavern Knight
Rafael Sabatini

British Dictionary definitions for belied

belie

verb -lies, -lying or -lied (tr)

to show to be untrue; contradict

to misrepresent; disguise the nature ofthe report belied the real extent of the damage

to fail to justify; disappoint

Derived Formsbelier, noun

Word Origin for belie

Old English belēogan; related to Old Frisian biliuga, Old High German biliugan; see be-, lie 1

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for belied

belie

Old English beleogan "to deceive by lies," from be- + lie (v.1) "to lie, tell lies." Current sense of "to contradict as a lie" is first recorded 1640s. The other verb lie once also had a formation like this, from Old English belicgan, which meant "to encompass, beleaguer," and in Middle English was a euphemism for "to have sex with" (i.e. "to lie with carnally").

belie

verb (used with object), be·lied, be·ly·ing.

RELATED WORDS

Origin of belie

Synonyms for belie

Antonyms for belie

Examples from the Web for belied

Contemporary Examples of belied

Historical Examples of belied

belie

verb -lies, -lying or -lied (tr)

Word Origin for belie

belie