belie

verb

be·​lie bi-ˈlī How to pronounce belie (audio)
bē-
belied; belying

transitive verb

1
a
: to give a false impression of
Her gentleness belies her strength.
b
: to present an appearance not in agreement with
His manner and appearance belie his age.
2
a
: to show (something) to be false or wrong
The evidence belies their claims of innocence.
b
: to run counter to : contradict
… appeared to belie all the rosy things I had heard about it.Katherine T. Kinkead
3
: disguise sense 3
An air of rural charm … belies the community's industrial activity.American Guide Series: Pennsylvania
belier noun

Did you know?

"What is a lie?" asked Lord Byron in Don Juan. He then answered himself: "'Tis but the truth in masquerade...." The history of belie illustrates a certain connection between lying and disguising. In Old English, belie meant "to deceive by lying," and, in time, was used to mean "to tell lies about," taking on a sense similar to that of the modern word slander. Eventually, its meaning softened, shifting from an act of outright lying to one of mere misrepresentation, and by the early 1700s, the word was being used in the sense "to disguise or conceal." Nowadays, belie suggests giving an impression at variance with the facts rather than telling an intentional untruth.

Examples of belie in a Sentence

a tree whose delicate beauty belies its real toughness Their actions belie their claim to be innocent.
Recent Examples on the Web If nothing else, his conscious self-demotion puts a spotlight on an entrepreneur whose modest public profile belies a powerful impact on the startup world. Steven Levy, WIRED, 15 Mar. 2024 The figure at the heart of the story is an unlikely hero, a quiet man whose obvious lack of strength belies a deeper courage and stubborn determination. Lovia Gyarkye, The Hollywood Reporter, 12 Mar. 2024 See all Example Sentences for belie 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'belie.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English belien, going back to Old English belēogan, from be- be- + lēogan "to lie entry 3"

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of belie was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near belie

Cite this Entry

“Belie.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/belie. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

belie

verb
be·​lie bi-ˈlī How to pronounce belie (audio)
belied; belying
1
: to give a false idea of
her looks belied her age
2
: to show to be false
their actions belie their claim to be innocent
belier noun

More from Merriam-Webster on belie

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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