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.
People say they respect individuals, but nearly all of them are lying.
From MarketWatch ● Nov. 3, 2026
Being sent home with Danielle carrying the baby was "horrible", her partner said, "lying in bed and holding that belly" knowing their baby was not alive.
From BBC ● Nov. 2, 2026
What is clear from my time in Dali is that lying flat isn’t sustainable.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 1, 2026
Meanwhile, the detained man is seen lying on the street yelling for help in Spanish.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 30, 2026
Was she lying in her bed, as sick as Anna?
From "Nory Ryan’s Song" by Patricia Reilly Giff
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Get a wordDefinitions 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.
