liar
Americannoun
-
liars
plural
noun
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of liar
before 950; Middle English lier, Old English lēogere. See lie 1, -ar 1
Explanation
A liar is someone who doesn't tell the truth. A liar tells lies. "Liar, liar, pants on fire," a phrase of unknown origin, is a children's jump-rope rhyme also used as a playground taunt. Adults, and especially political commentators, have also been known to use the phrase or part of it as a particularly demeaning insult aimed at politicians who make outrageous claims that can't possibly be true. Notice that liar ends in -ar, not -er, as you might expect.
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.
See Examples For:
So you’re not only rude, you’re also a liar.
From Salon ● Oct. 12, 2026
Clearly she was either a flake or a liar.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 12, 2026
Refrain from calling her a pathological liar, even if just to yourself, as that will color your response to her.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 29, 2026
In an interview with The Times earlier this month, Arday admitted making academic "mistakes" but said he was being wrongly "portrayed to be a liar and a fantasist".
From Barron's ● Aug. 15, 2026
He was a runaway and a thief and a liar, and if there was a word for someone who disrespects a monk in his own temple, he was that, too.
From "A Wish in the Dark" by Christina Soontornvat
I’m sure there are liars in the office who look a little too fresh-faced to have actually been there to see Shelton celebrate.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 9, 2026
"As far as I'm concerned, it's just a waste of time dealing with them. They're liars."
From BBC ● Jul. 8, 2026
I do think she’s calling the supermajority liars.
From Slate ● Jun. 3, 2026
“Their entire case is built on murderer’s row — a bunch of liars just trying to get out of jail,” Tedford said.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 28, 2026
"Crows are .all liars," Old Nan agreed, from the chair where she sat doing her needlework.
From "A Game of Thrones" by George R.R. Martin
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
