FALSE Synonyms: 317 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How is the word 'false' different from other adjectives like it?

Some common synonyms of false are disloyal , faithless , perfidious , traitorous , and treacherous . While all these words mean "untrue to what should command one's fidelity or allegiance," false stresses the fact of failing to be true in any manner ranging from fickleness to cold treachery. // betrayed by false friends

Q: When is 'disloyal' a more appropriate choice than 'false'?

Although the words disloyal and false have much in common, disloyal implies a lack of complete faithfulness to a friend, cause, leader, or country. // disloyal to their country

Q: When is it sensible to use 'faithless' instead of 'false'?

The words faithless and false can be used in similar contexts, but faithless applies to any failure to keep a promise or pledge or any breach of allegiance or loyalty. // faithless allies

Q: How are the words 'perfidious' and 'faithless' related as synonyms of 'false'?

Perfidious adds to faithless the implication of an incapacity for fidelity or reliability. // a perfidious double-crosser

Q: Where would 'traitorous' be a reasonable alternative to 'false'?

In some situations, the words traitorous and false are roughly equivalent. However, traitorous implies either actual treason or a serious betrayal of trust. // traitorous acts punishable by death

Q: When can 'treacherous' be used instead of 'false'?

The synonyms treacherous and false are sometimes interchangeable, but treacherous implies readiness to betray trust or confidence. // a treacherous adviser

false

adjective

ˈfȯls

Definition of false

as in erroneous

not being in agreement with what is true early reports about the explosion contained much false information

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in faux

being such in appearance only and made with or manufactured from usually cheaper materials George Washington's false teeth were not made of wood but of elephant ivory and cow's teeth

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in counterfeit

being such in appearance only and made or manufactured with the intention of committing fraud arrested for selling false ID cards to teenagers

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in mock

lacking in natural or spontaneous quality so much of the sympathy that the widow received was false and hypocritical, since it came from people who never liked her husband in the first place

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in fraudulent

marked by, based on, or done by the use of dishonest methods to acquire something of value false advertising that claimed that the vegetables were organically grown when they weren't

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in traitorous

not true in one's allegiance to someone or something false friends who deserted the prizefighter when all his money was gone

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in misleading

tending or having power to deceive it turned out that the con man had made false promises of marriage to a dozen women

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How is the word false different from other adjectives like it?

Some common synonyms of false are disloyal, faithless, perfidious, traitorous, and treacherous. While all these words mean "untrue to what should command one's fidelity or allegiance," false stresses the fact of failing to be true in any manner ranging from fickleness to cold treachery.

betrayed by false friends

When is disloyal a more appropriate choice than false?

Although the words disloyal and false have much in common, disloyal implies a lack of complete faithfulness to a friend, cause, leader, or country.

disloyal to their country

When is it sensible to use faithless instead of false?

The words faithless and false can be used in similar contexts, but faithless applies to any failure to keep a promise or pledge or any breach of allegiance or loyalty.

faithless allies

How are the words perfidious and faithless related as synonyms of false?

Perfidious adds to faithless the implication of an incapacity for fidelity or reliability.

a perfidious double-crosser

Where would traitorous be a reasonable alternative to false?

In some situations, the words traitorous and false are roughly equivalent. However, traitorous implies either actual treason or a serious betrayal of trust.

traitorous acts punishable by death

When can treacherous be used instead of false?

The synonyms treacherous and false are sometimes interchangeable, but treacherous implies readiness to betray trust or confidence.

a treacherous adviser

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 false The charges relating to false reports and false statements carry a penalty of up to six months and/or a $500 fine, the statement said. — Bryan Lynn, CBS News, 14 Oct. 2026 The following day, investigators recovered the two Renoirs from a house in Clermont-l’Hérault, where they had been concealed behind a false wall constructed from bricks and plasterboard. — Daniel Cassady, ARTnews.com, 13 Oct. 2026 Its largest medical center, Al-Shifa Hospital, was besieged, bombed, and raided, under false pretexts, resulting in hundreds of deaths inside. — Literary Hub, 13 Oct. 2026 For me, getting to explore the interior lives of women with a rejection towards society’s pressure to have to uphold some false perfection — that’s really thrilling for me as an artist. — Max Gao, HollywoodReporter, 13 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for false

Recent Examples of Synonyms for false

Adjective

Instead, Denver retained possession and capitalized on the erroneous call to win.

— Bobby Burack OutKick, FOXNews.com, 6 Oct. 2026
That a reporter or two heard of this normal process led to the erroneous inference that a change of leadership is imminent.

— Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, Fortune, 1 Oct. 2026

Definition of erroneous

Adjective

Experts called plumassiers, or feather specialists, would often collaborate with fashion houses and incorporate feathers, both faux and real, into designs for couture and ready-to-wear collections.

— Julia Teti, Footwear News, 13 Oct. 2026
The ground floor features an 18-seat bar with a rum wall backsplash, carved Moai heads and high-tops that spill out to a lush faux-grass courtyard framed in palm trees and tiki-totem pillars.

— Phillip Valys, Sun Sentinel, 8 Oct. 2026

Definition of faux

Adjective

Instead, the beleaguered quarterback continues to slide down mock draft boards as the season matures.

— Austin Perry OutKick, FOXNews.com, 17 Oct. 2026
Testing sensors on canisters During the INL demonstration, researchers installed optical fibers outside a mock nuclear fuel canister and tested several arrangements to measure acoustic vibrations.

— Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of mock

Adjective

Philadelphia police are also working with GoFundMe to prevent fraudulent fundraisers, the department said in a post on Facebook.

— Laura Fay, CBS News, 15 Oct. 2026
Dispute fraudulent charges and accounts, follow up on your identity theft report and request that fraudulent information be removed from your credit reports.

— Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of fraudulent

Adjective

Telemachus’ lone contribution is killing Melanthius, the traitorous Ithacan farmhand, thus preventing him from continuing to arm the suitors.

— Marlow Stern, Variety, 17 July 2026
And at the very center of Hell is Satan himself, the traitorous Archangel Lucifer, depicted as a monstrous creature with wings and three heads.

— Keith Cooper, Space.com, 11 May 2026

Definition of traitorous

Adjective

As a result, choosing a plan based solely on monthly premiums can be misleading.

— Cindy Krischer Goodman, Sun Sentinel, 14 Oct. 2026
The Idaho Consumer Protection Act, enacted in 1971, protects consumers from false, deceptive or misleading representations, advertising, pricing and contracts.

— Harllie Stevenson, Idaho Statesman, 14 Oct. 2026

Definition of misleading

Adjective

Medical identity theft can lead to fraudulent bills and inaccurate patient records, so catching problems early is important.

— Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 18 Oct. 2026
Working with fellow researchers, Cade now has a good reason to believe the Nature report is more than likely inaccurate – the train’s rail route didn’t exist until 1846.

— Mike McRae October 15, New Atlas, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of inaccurate

Browse Nearby Words

fall (to)

false

falsehood

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“False.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/false. Accessed 19 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of false

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