false

[ fawls ]

See synonyms for: false falsely falseness on Thesaurus.com

adjective,fals·er, fals·est.

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.

adverb

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

First recorded before 1000; Middle English, Old English fals, from Latin falsus “feigned, false,” originally past participle of fallere “to deceive”; reinforced by or reborrowed from Anglo-French, Old French fals (feminine false ), from Latin

synonym study For false

5. False, sham, counterfeit agree in referring to something that is not genuine. False is used mainly of imitations of concrete objects; it sometimes implies an intent to deceive: false teeth; false hair. Sham is rarely used of concrete objects and usually has the suggestion of intent to deceive: sham title; sham tears. Counterfeit always has the implication of cheating; it is used particularly of spurious imitation of coins, paper money, etc.

Other words for false

1	mistaken, incorrect, wrong, untrue
2	untruthful, lying, mendacious
3	insincere, hypocritical, disingenuous, disloyal, unfaithful, inconstant, perfidious, traitorous
4	misleading, fallacious
5	artificial, spurious, bogus, forged

See synonyms for false on Thesaurus.com

Other words from false

falsely, adverb
falseness, noun
half-false, adjective
quasi-false, adjective
quasi-falsely, adverb

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use false in a sentence

In this sense, a short ride can be something of a false economy, like cheap bib shorts or treating your serious medical condition with CBD.
Why 20 Miles Is the Perfect Length for a Bike Ride | Eben Weiss | November 20, 2020 | Outside Online
Kotz, the university spokeswoman, said by email that scientists and inspectors found no evidence showing the results were false positives.
Hogan’s first batch of coronavirus tests from South Korea were flawed, never used | Steve Thompson | November 20, 2020 | Washington Post
Blackfishing got its name from catfishing, slang for someone seducing a person by using a false identity.
‘Blackfishing’: The New Blackface? | Truthbetold | November 19, 2020 | TruthBeTold.news
And, we do not try to determine uh what’s true or false when someone takes a policy position or when someone says the sky is purple or blue, or red for that matter.
EmTech Stage: Twitter’s CTO on misinformation | Tate Ryan-Mosley | November 18, 2020 | MIT Technology Review
It’s very easy for us to make the false assumption that the listener understands what we mean, not only when we use math-specific terminology, but also in the way we phrase descriptions and make assumptions.
Searching Symbols for the Rules of Change | Rachel Crowell | November 17, 2020 | Quanta Magazine

Vasquez had also been told, falsely, that his fingerprints had been found at the scene.
How the U.S. Justice System Screws Prisoners with Disabilities | Elizabeth Picciuto | December 16, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST
In fact, far more men are not held accountable for sexual assault than are falsely accused of it.
The College Bro’s Burden: Consent and Assault Cast a Shadow on Sexy Times | Amy Zimmerman | August 22, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST
In the case of a falsely reassuring prenatal test, there are two possibilities for a lawsuit against a health practitioner.
Parents Sue for 'Wrongful Birth' | Elizabeth Picciuto | August 17, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST
This is the problem facing the Halls and anyone else who receives a falsely reassuring result on a prenatal test.
Parents Sue for 'Wrongful Birth' | Elizabeth Picciuto | August 17, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST
She was riding in the van when Isaias falsely decided that she was pregnant.
Somaly Mam, This Is What a Real Trafficking Victim Says | Michael Daly | May 31, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST
Dreadful are the denunciations uttered against such as swear falsely.
The Ordinance of Covenanting | John Cunningham
He through whose agency another has been falsely punished stands outside of heaven's gates.
Hebraic Literature; Translations from the Talmud, Midrashim and Kabbala | Various
Both the witnesses will speak truly six in every twelve times; both falsely once in twelve times.
A System of Logic: Ratiocinative and Inductive | John Stuart Mill
Either Gazelle had been falsely accused or the theft had been much smaller than was represented.
The Animal Story Book | Various
“The better reason, since we were falsely suspected, that we should get clear,” I cried.
The Works of Robert Louis Stevenson - Swanston Edition Vol. 10 (of 25) | Robert Louis Stevenson

British Dictionary definitions for false

false

/ (fɔːls) /

adjective

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

adverb

in a false or dishonest manner (esp in the phrase play (someone) false)

Origin of false

Old English fals, from Latin falsus, from fallere to deceive

Derived 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

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

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