truth

¹ American  

[trooth] / truθ /

noun

plural

truths

1. the true or actual state of a matter.

   He tried to find out the truth.

   Synonyms:

   fact

   Antonyms:

   falsehood

2. conformity with fact or reality; verity.

   the truth of a statement.

   Synonyms:

   veracity

   Antonyms:

   falsity

3. a verified or indisputable fact, proposition, principle, or the like.

   mathematical truths.

4. the state or character of being true.

   Antonyms:

   falsity

5. actuality or actual existence.

6. an obvious or accepted fact; truism; platitude.

7. (often initial capital letter) ideal or fundamental reality apart from and transcending perceived experience.

   the basic truths of life.

8. agreement with a standard or original.

9. accuracy, as of position or adjustment.

   Synonyms:

   exactness, precision

10. honesty; sincerity; truthfulness.

    Synonyms:

    frankness, candor, openness

    Antonyms:

    falsity

11. Archaic. fidelity or constancy.

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idioms

1. in truth, in reality; in fact; actually.

   In truth, moral decay hastened the decline of the Roman Empire.

Truth ² American  

[trooth] / truθ /

noun

1. Sojourner Isabella Van Wagener, 1797?–1883, U.S. abolitionist, orator, and women's-rights advocate, born into slavery.

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truth British  

/ truːθ /

noun

1. the quality of being true, genuine, actual, or factual

   the truth of his statement was attested

2. something that is true as opposed to false

   you did not tell me the truth

3. a proven or verified principle or statement; fact

   the truths of astronomy

4. (usually plural) a system of concepts purporting to represent some aspect of the world

   the truths of ancient religions

5. fidelity to a required standard or law

6. faithful reproduction or portrayal

   the truth of a portrait

7. an obvious fact; truism; platitude

8. honesty, reliability, or veracity

   the truth of her nature

9. accuracy, as in the setting, adjustment, or position of something, such as a mechanical instrument

10. the state or quality of being faithful; allegiance

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truth More Idioms  

More idioms and phrases containing truth

• gospel truth
• home truth
• moment of truth
• naked truth
• unvarnished truth

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Usage

What is a basic definition of truth? Truth means the actual state of a matter, an adherence to reality, or an indisputable fact. Truth has several other senses as a noun. The truth refers to the version of reality that we exist in. Putting it more simply, if you are “telling the truth,” you are describing the world as it actually is and not making things up or telling lies.

• Real-life examples: Police detectives try to discover the truth when investigating crimes so that they don’t arrest the wrong person. Criminals often hide or distort the truth so that they won’t get caught.
• Used in a sentence: I told my mom I passed the test, but the truth was that I failed it badly. 

In a related sense, truth can also mean an agreement with reality or facts.

• Used in a sentence: We doubted that there was any truth to his claims of seeing Bigfoot.

Truth can also mean a fact or a statement that nobody disagrees with.

• Used in a sentence: Parents often have to tell their kids sad truths when a pet dies.

Commonly Confused

See truism.

Other Word Forms

• mistruth noun
• nontruth noun
• truthless adjective
• truthlessness noun

Etymology

Origin of truth

First recorded before 900; Middle English treuthe, Old English trēowth (cognate with Old Norse tryggth “faith”); true, -th ¹

Explanation

Truth is something that squares with reality. When you are sworn in to give testimony in a U.S. court of law, you promise to "tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth." When you're cutting to the heart of something, you might start a statement with, "The truth of the matter is..." or "To tell the truth..." When you hear these introductory phrases containing truth, reality is supposed to follow. The American comedian Stephen Colbert coined the term truthiness as a satirical poke at politicians and pundits whose claims often have no basis in reality. Truthiness is what you wish were truth — unconstrained by fact or logic.

Example Sentences

And the truth is we’re a little spoiled; there’s never been more sports on TV.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 10, 2026

The story "does not correspond to the truth in any way", spokesman Matteo Bruni said, the day after the Pentagon dismissed the account as "highly exaggerated and distorted".

From Barron's • Apr. 10, 2026

The truth is, whatever you pick — as long as it’s something — will likely do the trick of growing faster than the rate of inflation as you age.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 10, 2026

Getting to the truth of the war's progress and its toll on the US, however, has taken deeper interrogation.

From BBC • Apr. 9, 2026

“We’ve got to agree on what to say! Most of us can simply tell the truth but—” My voice died in my throat.

From "The Hiding Place" by Corrie ten Boom

Related Words

• accuracy
• authenticity
• certainty
• fact
• legitimacy
• principle
• truthfulness
• veracity