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GRE vocabulary

belie

verbHigh-frequency wordMore B words

to give a false impression of or contradict

Word origin: From Old English beleogan, to deceive by lying (be- about plus leogan to lie).

In a sentence

Belie in a sentence

Here are example sentences showing belie in a sentence.

Her calm voice belied the panic she felt inside.

His calm voice belied the panic that had gripped him only moments earlier.

Synonyms
misrepresentcontradictdisguisegainsay
Antonyms
revealconfirm
Usage & nuance

Using “belie” well

Belie means to give a false impression of something or to contradict it, which can confuse test-takers since it points two ways. Often the outward sign belies the hidden reality, masking what is truly there.

Common questions

Questions about “belie

Belie (verb) means to give a false impression of or contradict
Here is belie used in an example sentence: "Her calm voice belied the panic she felt inside." Another example: "His calm voice belied the panic that had gripped him only moments earlier."
Common synonyms for belie include misrepresent, contradict, disguise, gainsay.
Antonyms of belie include reveal, confirm.
Belie clusters with misrepresent, contradict, disguise, and gainsay in Sentence Equivalence. Its antonyms reveal and confirm mark the honest disclosure a passage may contrast against it.
Yes. Belie is a high-frequency GRE word, so it is worth prioritising as you build your vocabulary.

Learn words the way the GRE tests them.

Vocabulary sticks when you meet it in real sentences. Practise these words inside text completion and sentence equivalence questions.