Katherine T. KinkeadAmerican Guide Series: Pennsylvania
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"What is a lie?" asks Lord Byron in Don Juan. He then answers himself: "'Tis but the truth in masquerade...." The history of belie illustrates a certain connection between lying and masquerading as something other than one is. In Old English, belie meant "to deceive by lying," but in time, it came 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; by the 1700s, the word was being used in the sense "to disguise or conceal." Nowadays, belie is typically applied when someone or something gives an impression that is in disagreement with the facts, rather than in contexts where there is an intentional untruth. A happy face put on to set others at ease, for example, may belie an internal disgruntlement.
Examples of belie in a Sentence
Will Leitch, Vulture, 3 Mar. 2025
Ali, on the other hand, is spot-on as a renowned classical pianist who goes on a tour of the Jim Crow South with a New York tough guy (Viggo Mortensen) and puts on aristocratic airs that belie his insecurities.
—Brian Truitt, USA TODAY, 28 Feb. 2025
As Belle, the street-smart babysitter turned getaway driver, Erivo brings a no-nonsense attitude and physical command that belies her diminutive stature.
—Sezin Koehler, EW.com, 28 Feb. 2025
Hailed with a standing ovation, Fonda approached the stage with a contagious energy that belied her 87 years.
—Judy Berman, TIME, 24 Feb. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Belie.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/belie. Accessed 20 Mar. 2025.
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belie
verb
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