belie

Belie is an English verb meaning to give a false impression or to contradict or misrepresent something. It describes a situation in which outward appearance, behavior, or evidence fails to reflect the true state of affairs. The word is typically used to indicate that evidence or appearances are misleading about an inner quality or reality.

Belie is transitive: it requires an object. Common constructions include belies (present tense) and belied (past tense or past participle). Examples: "The report belies the reality." "The results belied the claims." More specific usages include phrases such as "Her calm demeanor belied the anxiety she felt inside" and "The statistics belie the perception of a thriving economy." The nuance is that what is shown or claimed is incompatible with other information, often highlighting hidden truth or contradiction.

Etymology and forms: The verb is formed with the prefix be- attached to lie, dating from Middle English. Principal forms are belies (third person singular), belied (simple past and past participle).

Uses and notes: In literature and journalism, belied statements or predictions are common rhetorical devices to reveal a mismatch between appearance and reality. It should not be confused with lie, which denotes falsehood itself; belied or belies implies deception or misrepresentation in the scrutiny of evidence.

See also: Belie can also appear as a surname or place name in some contexts, and may be used as a creative or fictive term; for other uses, see Belie (disambiguation).