false
fawls
False (adjective) means not true; incorrect or contrary to fact. Example: “The rumor turned out to be completely false.”
adjective
1
Not true; incorrect or contrary to fact.
"The rumor turned out to be completely false."
"He gave a false name to the police."
"She realised the message she had received was false and ignored it."
2
Not genuine or real; artificial.
"She wore false eyelashes for the photoshoot."
"He wore a false beard and a wig for the school play."
"The shop sells false nails in many different colours."
3
Disloyal or deceitful.
"He proved false to his own promises."
"She felt betrayed when she discovered her friend had been false to her all along."
"A false friend will smile at you and then speak ill of you."
4
Representing a negative or "no" value in logic or computing.
"The function returns false if the condition isn't met."
"In the quiz app, a wrong answer sets the variable to false."
"The check is false, so the program skips the next step."
How to use false
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishNot true, not real, or — in computing — the opposite of "true."
Common pairings
false alarm
false start
true or false
false teeth
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Word forms
- Plural
- falses
- Third person singular
- falses
- Past tense
- falsed
- Comparative
- falser, more false
- Superlative
- falsest, most false
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The rumor turned out to be completely _____.
Etymology
From Old English fals, from Latin falsus ("deceived, counterfeit"), the past participle of fallere ("to deceive").
Synonyms
View more →Antonyms
Related words
Frequently asked questions
What does “false” mean?
The word “false” means not true; incorrect or contrary to fact. In plain terms, not true, not real, or — in computing — the opposite of "true.".
How do you pronounce “false”?
“False” is pronounced fawls (/fɔls/ in IPA).
How do you use “false” in a sentence?
Here is “false” used in a sentence: “The rumor turned out to be completely false.”
What is another word for “false”?
Words with a similar meaning to “false” include lease.
What part of speech is “false”?
“False” is an adjective.
Where does the word “false” come from?
The word “false” comes from Latin. From Old English fals, from Latin falsus ("deceived, counterfeit"), the past participle of fallere ("to deceive").
Is “false” a common word?
“False” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A1 level.
How many meanings does “false” have?
“False” has 4 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: not true; incorrect or contrary to fact.
What is the difference between false and fake?
False describes something that is untrue or contrary to fact, such as a false claim or a false rumour. Fake describes something that is not genuine or authentic, usually a physical object or identity, such as a fake painting or a fake ID. In short, statements are false, while things are fake.
What is the opposite of false?
The direct opposite of false is true. Related opposites include correct, accurate, and factual, depending on the context. Where false means artificial, as in false teeth, the opposite would be real or natural. But in its core meaning of not matching the facts, true is the clearest and most reliable antonym.
Is false a negative word?
Yes, false generally carries a negative tone, since it means something fails to match the truth. Calling a statement false is a clear criticism of its accuracy. It can also imply deception, as in false promises or a false friend, where it suggests dishonesty rather than a simple honest mistake.
What is an example of false?
Saying 'the sun rises in the west' is a false statement, because it contradicts an established fact. Other examples include a false alarm that reports danger where none exists, or false information spread online. In each case, what is described does not match reality and can mislead the people who hear it.
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Vocabulary lists that include false:
