belie

verb

bi-ˈlī How to pronounce belie (audio)
Definition of belienext
1
as in to misrepresent
to give a misleading impression of his bright smile belied his actual mood, which was really one of great sadness

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2
as in to refute
to prove to be false the latest information belies the old theory

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to conceal
to keep secret or shut off from view the security council issued false assurances that belied the true gravity of the situation

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of belie And Reid, the fourth-winningest coach in NFL history, was burning to get after it to a degree that belies his understated public persona. — Kansas City Star, 19 Aug. 2026 Dawn ends the resurrection spell in response, belying her own statement. — Emily Temple, Literary Hub, 18 Aug. 2026 The image is whimsical, belying their instinct to flee the harsh world outside that tent, and through it, the audience gets to understand their psyche and innermost thoughts. — Murtada Elfadl, Variety, 18 Aug. 2026 Every cubic inch has been capitalized on, giving the yacht a sense of openness and grandeur that belies its overall length. — Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 14 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for belie
Recent Examples of Synonyms for belie
  1. misrepresent
  2. refute
  3. conceal
  4. obscure
  5. hide
Verb
  • Meta this week agreed to pay almost $17 billion in a landmark settlement with a coalition of state AGs that had sued the company for misrepresenting the extent of child mental health damage caused by Facebook and Instagram.
    — Jonathan Vanian, CNBC, 30 Aug. 2026
  • Bonta, in a statement, accused Paramount of leaking and misrepresenting information the two sides had discussed during a preliminary session Friday.
    — Meg James, Los Angeles Times, 24 Aug. 2026
Definition of misrepresent
Verb
  • Brittany Howard, the band’s lead singer and charismatic frontwoman, has spent much of the past decade refuting that notion.
    — Jonathan Bernstein, Rolling Stone, 29 Aug. 2026
  • New documents obtained by The Associated Press and The Guardian refute that testimony.
    — Ali Swenson, Fortune, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of refute
Verb
  • That's because the sink and invisible dual-burner induction cooktop are concealed below a sliding top that works just like a bar or table when retracted.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 2 Sep. 2026
  • All three globe bulbs are concealed here, as is most of the cord, but a foot pedal on/off switch ensures ease of use.
    — Yelena Moroz Alpert, Architectural Digest, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of conceal
Verb
  • Forward vision is excellent because there’s no roof, A-pillars, or much of anything obscuring your view (the only model above the Signature Edition, called the Grand Touring, does include a roof of sorts).
    — William Roberson, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2026
  • The glass is reeded and translucent, obscuring the line cooks behind it.
    — Alexis Benveniste, Architectural Digest, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of obscure
Verb
  • Yes, that’s right, the world’s most famous nude sculpture was once outfitted with a belt of 28 copper leaves to hide its genitalia.
    — Alicja Zelazko, Encyclopedia Britannica, 2 Sep. 2026
  • Avoid walking through tall grass, rocky areas or other places where snakes might hide, such as wildflower or bluebonnet patches.
    — Brandi D. Addison, USA Today, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of hide

Browse Nearby Words

belfry
belie
belied
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Cite this Entry

“Belie.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/belie. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

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