belie
Americanverb (used with object)
-
to show to be false; contradict.
His trembling hands belied his calm voice.
- Antonyms:
- support, verify, substantiate, confirm, prove
-
to misrepresent.
The newspaper belied the facts.
-
to act unworthily according to the standards of (a tradition, one's ancestry, one's faith, etc.).
-
Archaic. to lie about; slander.
verb
-
to show to be untrue; contradict
-
to misrepresent; disguise the nature of
the report belied the real extent of the damage
-
to fail to justify; disappoint
Related Words
See misrepresent.
Other Word Forms
- belier noun
Etymology
Origin of belie
First recorded before 1000; Middle English belyen, Old English belēogan; see be-, lie 1
Explanation
To belie means to contradict. If you are 93 but look like you are 53, then your young looks belie your age. We get belie from the Old English beleogan, which meant "to deceive by lying." It suggests characteristics or behavior that inadvertently or deliberately hide the truth. To remember it, just think "be lying." Snow White's decision to barge into the Seven Dwarfs' home without invitation belied her gentle nature.
Vocabulary lists containing belie
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100 Words Every High School Graduate Should Know
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100 SAT Words Beginning with "B"
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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.
The aforementioned film inspired by his life shows what it’s like to live with involuntary vocal tics that belie your own beliefs or intentions.
From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 25, 2026
His genial demeanour and penchant for folksy parables belie a past as a wily guerrilla fighter and ruthless political survivor.
From Barron's • Jan. 12, 2026
She does everything to belie the fact that she’s pretty, which only makes the self-loathing aspect of her character more ludicrous.
From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 11, 2025
"Outward appearance shouldn't belie what lies beneath," Mr Marchant said.
From BBC • Jul. 1, 2025
I make myself as small as possible, as if my size could belie our closeness.
From "Everything, Everything" by Nicola Yoon
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.
