fib 1 of 3

noun

ˈfib How to pronounce fib (audio)
Definition of fibnext
as in lie
a statement known by its maker to be untrue and made in order to deceive the claim that everyday living would be impossible without at least a few innocent fibs

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

fib

2 of 3

verb (1)

as in to lie
to make a statement one knows to be untrue fibbed and said that he had remembered to water her plants while she was away

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

fib

3 of 3

verb (2)

British
as in to lick
to strike repeatedly the two drunken pub crawlers proceeded to fib each other senseless

Synonyms & Similar Words

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb fib differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of fib are equivocate, lie, palter, and prevaricate. While all these words mean "to tell an untruth," fib applies to a telling of a trivial untruth.

fibbed about the price of the new suit

When might equivocate be a better fit than fib?

The synonyms equivocate and fib are sometimes interchangeable, but equivocate implies using words having more than one sense so as to seem to say one thing but intend another.

equivocated endlessly in an attempt to mislead her inquisitors

When is lie a more appropriate choice than fib?

While the synonyms lie and fib are close in meaning, lie is the blunt term, imputing dishonesty.

lied about where he had been

Where would palter be a reasonable alternative to fib?

The words palter and fib are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, palter implies making unreliable statements of fact or intention or insincere promises.

a swindler paltering with his investors

How are the words prevaricate and lie related as synonyms of fib?

Prevaricate softens the bluntness of lie by implying quibbling or confusing the issue.

during the hearings the witness did his best to prevaricate

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 fib
Noun
Ventricular fibrillation, also known as V-fib, is an abnormal heart rhythm (arrhythmia) that causes a person's lower heart chambers to race and affects their ability to pump blood, according to the Cleveland Clinic. — Terry Collins, USA Today, 13 Nov. 2025 Fishel was eventually able to coax Adler to admit that his fib was merely a child's angry rationalization, born out of hurt, of their beloved parent suddenly receding from their daily life. — Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 10 Nov. 2025
Verb
In today’s challenging market, finding a job can be a long, frustrating process, and some job seekers have resorted to fibbing in order to present themselves as better candidates for a role. — Sophie Caldwell, CNBC, 20 Aug. 2025 The This Is Us actress stopped by the Not Gonna Lie podcast and told host Kylie Kelce that her singer hubby recently fibbed about watching the film to a friend. — Daysia Tolentino, EW.com, 20 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for fib
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fib
  1. lie
  2. lick
  3. tale
  4. hide
  5. story
  6. lash
  7. pound
  8. beat
Noun
  • The show’s noir movie aesthetics still serve its story of political ambition, where revenge is disguised as justice and greed hidden behind lofty lies of patriotism.
    — Ophélie Surcouf, Variety, 2 Sep. 2026
  • The new layout on the wide-body plane features 144 premium seats, including 70 lie-flat seats with sliding doors in its Flagship Suite section at the front of the plane.
    — Michele Luhn, CNBC, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of lie
Verb
  • That glib self-confidence is present in McNamara, who licks the doughnut glaze off his fingers before offering his hand to the female detective questioning the one living Jason.
    — Scott Tobias, Vulture, 28 Aug. 2026
  • One act featured two young women sitting on the stage and licking orange Popsicles (yes, that was the whole act).
    — Mike Barnes, HollywoodReporter, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of lick
Noun
  • Set in 1964 and based on a true story, the film tells the tale of a young journalist who tracks down a potential Nazi officer living secretly in New York and befriends the suspect’s charming wife.
    — John Hopewell, Variety, 31 Aug. 2026
  • Like James himself, the men are clever and bookish, writing letters or diaries, reading voraciously, and imagining themselves into tales of romance and Biblical comeuppance.
    — Katy Waldman, New Yorker, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of tale
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
Noun
  • Like all other alumni interviewed for this story, one of the first things Oberlander mentioned about her love for Killian was athletics — football games in particular.
    — Austin Horn August 29, Miami Herald, 29 Aug. 2026
  • Your stories are a great reminder of what sports teaches high school students about life.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of story
Verb
  • In the same series of Sunday morning posts, the president also lashed out at Kristen Welker, the moderator of NBC’s Meet the Press, for saying his endorsements of Republican candidates in primary elections this year had shown mixed results.
    — Jeff Mason, Fortune, 30 Aug. 2026
  • One of the most famously arid national landmarks succumbed to deadly flash flooding over the weekend, leaving at least one person dead and more than a dozen unaccounted for as more rain could lash Grand Canyon National Park in Arizona on Monday.
    — Maria Aguilar Prieto, CNN Money, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of lash
Verb
  • On offense, that means pounding the rock with a stout run game and letting that set up the passing attack.
    — Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 3 Sep. 2026
  • Russia pounded Kyiv for more than 12 hours in a sixth straight night of attacks, killing at least 12 people including six railway workers and an Indian citizen, and devastating civilian districts.
    — Samya Kullab, Los Angeles Times, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of pound
Verb
  • She had been beaten and stabbed inside her home, and her body was then placed in the trunk of her car.
    — Brett Barrouquere, Arkansas Online, 30 Aug. 2026
  • Tysie Gallagher, Terri Harper and Caroline Dubois beat Americans Brandi Robinson, Miranda Reyes and Amelia Moore, respectively, earlier in the night, while Reina Tellez defeated Jessica Barry for the United States’ only victory.
    — Amelie Claydon, New York Times, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of beat

Browse Nearby Words

fiats
fib
fibbed
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Fib.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fib. Accessed 4 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of apiary

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

A List of Most Commonly Confused Words

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Words of the Week - Sept. 4
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
anagrams on a chalk board
Word Builder Quiz Vol. 2 Pick the letter that when added to a word will ma...
See All