adjective

post-truth

pohst-TROOTH

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Post-truth (adjective) means describing a political culture in which appeals to emotion and personal belief sway opinion more than verifiable facts do. Example: “Fact-checkers struggle in a post-truth environment where corrections spread more slowly than the claims.”

adjective

Describing a political culture in which appeals to emotion and personal belief sway opinion more than verifiable facts do.

"Fact-checkers struggle in a post-truth environment where corrections spread more slowly than the claims."

"Commentators called the campaign the first genuinely post-truth election."

noun

The condition or era in which objective facts carry less weight in public debate than feeling and loyalty.

"The book argues that post-truth did not begin with social media."

How to use post-truth

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishWhen people care more about how a claim feels than whether it is true.

When to use it

Journalistic and academic; almost always critical of what it describes.

Memory tip

Post-truth does not mean lying is new — it means being caught out no longer costs much.

Trace the full origin ↓

Easily confused with

fake news misinformation → disinformation → alternative facts

Common pairings

post-truth politics post-truth era post-truth world post-truth society

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C2 · Advanced serendipity Fortunate discoveries made entirely by accident.

Gen Z slang rizz Charm — the ability to attract a romantic interest.

B2 · Intermediate empathy The capacity to share another person’s feelings.

C1 · Advanced nonchalant Casually calm and relaxed; unconcerned.

Internet slang delulu Delusional — believing something against the odds.

Etymology nostalgia Greek nostos “return home” + algos “pain”.

C2 · Advanced serendipity Fortunate discoveries made entirely by accident.

Gen Z slang rizz Charm — the ability to attract a romantic interest.

B2 · Intermediate empathy The capacity to share another person’s feelings.

C1 · Advanced nonchalant Casually calm and relaxed; unconcerned.

Internet slang delulu Delusional — believing something against the odds.

Etymology nostalgia Greek nostos “return home” + algos “pain”.

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Fill the gap

Can you complete this real example?

Fact-checkers struggle in a _____ environment where corrections spread more slowly than the claims.

Etymology

A compound of the prefix post- meaning 'after' and truth; here post- carries the sense 'belonging to a time when the thing has ceased to matter' rather than simply 'after'.

Origin: English

Synonyms

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fact-resistant

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between post-truth and fake news?

Fake news is a thing — a fabricated story dressed up as reporting. Post-truth is a condition of the audience and the debate, in which such stories keep working even after they have been debunked because facts have stopped being decisive.

What is the difference between misinformation and disinformation?

Misinformation is false information spread by someone who believes it is true. Disinformation is false information spread deliberately by someone who knows it is false. Post-truth conditions make both harder to correct.

Does post-truth mean truth no longer exists?

No. The word describes a shift in what persuades people, not a claim that facts have stopped being facts. The point is that in public argument, verifiable evidence has lost ground to identity and emotion.

What is the meaning of post-truth?

"post-truth" (adjective) means describing a political culture in which appeals to emotion and personal belief sway opinion more than verifiable facts do.