belie — to give a false impression of something; to contradict or show to be false
Part of speech: VERB
Definition: to give a false impression of something; to contradict or show to be false
Pronunciation (IPA): /bɪˈlaɪ/
Example Sentences
- His expensive shoes belied his claim of being broke
- The restaurant's shabby exterior belied the excellent food inside
- Her cheerful Facebook posts belied her actual depression
belie
VERB[/bɪˈlaɪ/]
to give a false impression of something; to contradict or show to be false
His calm smile belies the panic he feels before the big speech.
Be honest? But you lie! Your actions belie your words!
A perfect tie cannot belie a lie!
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🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
From Middle English belien, formed from the prefix be- (meaning 'to make or cause') combined with the verb lie (meaning 'to recline' or 'to tell an untruth'). The sense evolved to mean 'to give a false impression' or 'to contradict.'
Breakdown
be- (to make; cause) + lie (to recline; to deceive) = belie (to give a false impression of; to contradict)
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“His expensive shoes belied his claim of being broke”
“The restaurant's shabby exterior belied the excellent food inside”
“Her cheerful Facebook posts belied her actual depression”
“The CEO's casual attire belied his billion-dollar net worth”
📚Related Words
Synonyms
Antonyms
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