untrue

Untrue is an adjective meaning not true or not in accordance with fact. It describes statements, beliefs, or representations that fail to reflect reality or accuracy. An untrue claim does not correspond to what is known or verifiable.

In usage, untrue and false are often near-synonymous, but they carry subtle differences. False can imply a definite incorrectness and, in some contexts, intentional deception. Untrue tends to be a more cautious or neutral term, indicating that something is not true without necessarily accusing someone of lying. The noun form untruth refers to a lie or a false statement.

Untrue is commonly applied to factual claims, claims about events, or beliefs that are contradicted by evidence. It can also appear in discussions about credibility, misinformation, or propaganda. In formal or journalistic writing, authors may choose untrue when they want to avoid asserting intent to deceive, focusing on the inaccuracy itself.

Etymology notes: untrue is formed from the negating prefix un- plus true. The word true has deep historical roots in the English language, with its origins in Germanic languages; un- is a standard English negation prefix.

Related terms include false, incorrect, erroneous, and mistaken. The term untruth is often used to denote a lie or a deliberately false statement, whereas untrue is the general descriptor for anything that is not true.