falsity

noun

fal·​si·​ty ˈfȯl-sə-tē How to pronounce falsity (audio)
plural falsities
1
: something false : lie
2
: the quality or state of being false

Examples of falsity in a Sentence

a papal letter condemning secularism and other movements that the church considered to be falsities of the modern age when questioned by his parents about his drug use, the teenager told one blatant falsity after another
Recent Examples on the Web Even if the truth or falsity of individual conjectures is a matter of objective truth, ranking their importance is a subjective, social process. Kevin Hartnett, Quanta Magazine, 22 Feb. 2024 The challenge of fighting the fire hose of falsity being trained on science has made some scientists cynical about the prospects of victory, Sell acknowledges. Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 22 Feb. 2024 Despite the evidence, photographs, films, and museums dedicated to ensuring people never forget the horrific atrocities that took place during the Holocaust, there are still those who intentionally circulate falsities on social media outlets in the hopes of intentionally misleading people. Tyler Gildin, Parents, 17 Feb. 2024 Every day for decades, Albert worked with hundreds of people who can – and will – testify about the falsity of Ms. Zucker’s mischaracterizations of him. Gene Maddaus, Variety, 7 Feb. 2024 Every day for decades, Albert worked with hundreds of people who can — and will — testify about the falsity of Ms. Zucker’s mischaracterizations of him. Alexandra Del Rosario, Los Angeles Times, 8 Feb. 2024 Every day for decades, Albert worked with hundreds of people who can - and will - testify about the falsity of Ms. Zucker’s mischaracterizations of him. Esther Kang, Peoplemag, 8 Feb. 2024 Trump’s disinterest in truth and falsity, his demands for loyalty as a one-way street, his disdain for rules, laws, and institutional norms, his instinct for people’s weaknesses and pressure points — these are all symptoms of his tendency to look at everything through the lens of bargaining. Brittany Bernstein, National Review, 10 Jan. 2024 One of Bass’s achievements in Judgment at Tokyo is to expose the arbitrariness and falsity of any such boundaries. Michael Washburn, National Review, 31 Dec. 2023

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

Word History

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of falsity was in the 13th century

Dictionary Entries Near falsity

Cite this Entry

“Falsity.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/falsity. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

falsity

noun
fal·​si·​ty ˈfȯl-sət-ē How to pronounce falsity (audio)
plural falsities
1
: something false : lie
2
: the quality or state of being false

Legal Definition

falsity

noun
fal·​si·​ty ˈfȯl-sə-tē How to pronounce falsity (audio)
plural falsities
1
: something false
2
: the quality or state of being false
did not establish the falsity of the statement

More from Merriam-Webster on falsity

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!