belie

C2 Topic:Describing People

US /bɪˈlaɪ/ UK /bɪˈlaɪ/ See IPA manual

Freq #51715

Meanings

1

verb
to represent falsely

Con artists belie their intentions to gain the confidence of their marks.
2

verb
to be in contradiction with

New evidence belies the claims in your older research.
3

verb
To give a false representation of.

Her smooth complexion and dark hair belie her actual age.
4

verb
To contradict, to show (something) to be false.

Her obvious nervousness belied what she said.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 verb · to represent falsely misrepresent

2 verb · to be in contradiction with negate

3 verb · to give a false... misrepresent

4 verb · to contradict, to show... contradictgive lie togive the lie toput lie toput the lie toput to lie

Word family

Derived forms belierbelyinglyunbelied

Etymology

From Middle English belyen, beleoȝen, from Old English belēogan (“to deceive by lying, be mistaken”), from Proto-West Germanic *bileugan (“to belie”). Equivalent to be- (“about”) + lie (“to deceive”). Compare Dutch beliegen (“to lie about, tell lies”), German belügen (“to lie to someone”).

Topics

Describing People

External links

# belie

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2
**Part of speech:** verb
**IPA (US):** /bɪˈlaɪ/
**IPA (UK):** /bɪˈlaɪ/
**Frequency rank:** 51715

## Meanings
1. to represent falsely
2. to be in contradiction with
3. To give a false representation of.
4. To contradict, to show (something) to be false.

## Examples
- Con artists belie their intentions to gain the confidence of their marks.
- New evidence belies the claims in your older research.
- Her smooth complexion and dark hair belie her actual age.
- Her obvious nervousness belied what she said.

## Synonyms
- misrepresent
- negate
- contradict
- give lie to
- give the lie to
- put lie to
- put the lie to
- put to lie

## Derived Forms
- belier
- belyingly
- unbelied

## Etymology
From Middle English belyen, beleoȝen, from Old English belēogan (“to deceive by lying, be mistaken”), from Proto-West Germanic *bileugan (“to belie”). Equivalent to be- (“about”) + lie (“to deceive”). Compare Dutch beliegen (“to lie about, tell lies”), German belügen (“to lie to someone”).

## Topics
- Describing People

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