false
not true or correct; erroneous: a false statement.
uttering or declaring what is untrue: a false witness.
not faithful or loyal; treacherous: a false friend.
tending to deceive or mislead; deceptive: a false impression.
not genuine; counterfeit.
based on mistaken, erroneous, or inconsistent impressions, ideas, or facts: false pride.
used as a substitute or supplement, especially temporarily: false supports for a bridge.
Biology. having a superficial resemblance to something that properly bears the name: the false acacia.
not properly, accurately, or honestly made, done, or adjusted: a false balance.
inaccurate in pitch, as a musical note.
dishonestly; faithlessly; treacherously: Did he speak false against me?
Idioms about false
play someone false, to betray someone; be treacherous or faithless.
Origin of false
1synonym study For false
Other words for false
Other words from false
- falsely, adverb
- falseness, noun
- half-false, adjective
- quasi-false, adjective
- quasi-falsely, adverb
Words Nearby false
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
How to use false in a sentence
Additionally, The New York Times’ Daily Distortions vertical tracks false and misleading information, and The Washington Post’s Fact Checker was created in 2007 to hold mostly politicians accountable for false or misleading statements.
Why local broadcaster Tegna is making a big bet on its fact-checking vertical Verify | Sara Guaglione | February 12, 2021 | DigidayHe’s concerned, in the meantime, that the rollout of vaccines could lead to a false sense of security, followed again by spikes in infections, but his focus continues to be on getting businesses to comply.
Despite Crackdown Announcement, Not Much COVID-19 Enforcement Is Happening | Jesse Marx | February 11, 2021 | Voice of San DiegoIncreasingly, scientists have found that nonbiological chemical processes can create similar shapes, suggesting the possibility of “false positives” in the biological record.
Fossil mimics may be more common in ancient rocks than actual fossils | Carolyn Gramling | February 9, 2021 | Science News“Parents can have a false sense of security, especially when they’re around their children all the time,” Olson said.
With children stuck at home during coronavirus shutdowns, online sexual predators can swoop in | Dan Morse | February 5, 2021 | Washington PostA reasonable person would assume she was talking about coronavirus cases and deaths — which would be false.
South Dakota’s covid-19 numbers have been terrible, but the governor says that’s the wrong metric | Glenn Kessler | February 5, 2021 | Washington Post
And no issue should be defined by its outliers because it paints a false picture.
He has contributed to a false picture of law enforcement based on isolated injustices.
“Nothing else to do” was the most common response for why people chose to go to The Ball, though that rang a little false to me.
The Craziest Date Night for Single Jews, Where Mistletoe Is Ditched for Shots | Emily Shire | December 26, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTHe quotes an unnamed cardinal saying that the conclave voters knew the charges were false.
Once people with ID are arrested, they are particularly susceptible to making coerced and often false confessions.
How the U.S. Justice System Screws Prisoners with Disabilities | Elizabeth Picciuto | December 16, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTBut the sheer quantity of the inflated currency and false money forces prices higher still.
The Unsolved Riddle of Social Justice | Stephen LeacockThe rest is done by cutting away two upper and four under-teeth, and substituting false ones at the desired angle.
Checkmate | Joseph Sheridan Le FanuHe was thrashed at school before the Jews and the hubshi, for the heinous crime of bringing home false reports of progress.
Kipling Stories and Poems Every Child Should Know, Book II | Rudyard KiplingI will not, therefore, say that the proposition that the value of everything equals the cost of production is false.
The Unsolved Riddle of Social Justice | Stephen LeacockBut his servant runs after the man, and gets two talents of silver and some garments under false pretences.
God and my Neighbour | Robert Blatchford
British Dictionary definitions for false
/ (fɔːls) /
not in accordance with the truth or facts
irregular or invalid: a false start
untruthful or lying: a false account
not genuine, real, or natural; artificial; fake: false eyelashes
being or intended to be misleading or deceptive: a false rumour
disloyal or treacherous: a false friend
based on mistaken or irrelevant ideas or facts: false pride; a false argument
(prenominal) (esp of plants) superficially resembling the species specified: false hellebore
serving to supplement or replace, often temporarily: a false keel
music
(of a note, interval, etc) out of tune
(of the interval of a perfect fourth or fifth) decreased by a semitone
(of a cadence) interrupted or imperfect
in a false or dishonest manner (esp in the phrase play (someone) false)
Origin of false
1Derived forms of false
- falsely, adverb
- falseness, noun
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
Other Idioms and Phrases with false
In addition to the idioms beginning with false
- false alarm
- false colors
- false start
- false step
also see:
- lull into (false sense of security)
- play false
- ring false
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
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