lying
1 Americannoun
adjective
verb
verb
verb
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of lying
First recorded in 1175–1225; Middle English; see origin at lie 1, -ing 1, -ing 2
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.
Vocabulary lists containing lying
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.
There was more — a lot more, from the Epstein files and the Iran war to incompetence, lying and deportations.
From Salon • Jun. 28, 2026
Down the track, there's a player crisis lying in wait.
From BBC • Jun. 27, 2026
On the other side of the yellow and green wall of the two cousins' room, three other Sudanese wounded by drones were lying in bed.
From Barron's • Jun. 25, 2026
A video captured by a civilian appeared to show police handcuffing a person lying on the ground in a grassy area outside the library.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 23, 2026
The carpet is barely visible for random objects lying around.
From "Code Name Kingfisher" by Liz Kessler
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
