Word
false
US/ˈfɔls/
UK/fˈɒls/
Definition
adj. not true or not correct. You use this to describe information that is wrong or something that is not real, like a fake smile.
adj. not in accordance with truth or fact; incorrect. Also describes objects or expressions that are not genuine or natural, such as artificial teeth or a forced emotion.
Examples
“The information in the report is false.”
“The witness was accused of giving false testimony to the police during the investigation.”
“The philosopher argued that a false premise, no matter how logically sound the subsequent reasoning, will inevitably lead to an erroneous conclusion.”
Examples
simple
“The information in the report is false.”
contextual
“The witness was accused of giving false testimony to the police during the investigation.”
complex
“The philosopher argued that a false premise, no matter how logically sound the subsequent reasoning, will inevitably lead to an erroneous conclusion.”
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “false” in context.
Verb
01. be false
“This message is false. Please do not share it.”
verb + adj
02. look false
“That email looks false. Do not open it.”
verb + adj
03. prove false
“The police proved the man's words false.”
verb + adj
04. seem false
“His smile seemed false and not happy.”
verb + adj
Adjective
05. completely false
“That story about school closing is completely false.”
adv + adj
06. totally false
“What he said about me is totally false.”
adv + adj
Noun
07. false alarm
“It was a false alarm. There was no fire.”
adj + noun
08. false information
“Do not put false information on the form.”
adj + noun
09. false name
“She wrote a false name on the paper.”
adj + noun
10. false smile
“She gave a false smile for the photo.”
adj + noun
11. a completely false story
“That is a completely false story. It never happened.”
12. give false information
“He gave false information to the police.”
Usage
Often used in 'true or false' tests; can also mean 'artificial' when modifying nouns like 'teeth' or 'ceiling'.
Pitfall
He told a false
He told a lie
False is an adjective, not a noun; use 'lie' or 'untruth' for the thing itself.
Etymology
From the Latin falsus, a perfect passive participle of fallō, meaning to deceive. The term entered Old English as fals, denoting that which was counterfeit or fraudulent, and was subsequently reinforced in Middle English by the Anglo-Norman and Old French fals and faus. It displaced the native Middle English les and lese, derived from the Old English lēas, though it remains a doublet of the French faux.
The word shares a common Latin ancestor with the Scots fals, the Saterland Frisian falsk, and the German falsch. The corresponding verb forms arrived via the Middle English falsen and falsien, which were drawn from the Old French falser. This itself descended from the Latin falsō, to falsify, a derivative of the original falsus.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Related words
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.A1 MoversIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.2.0–3.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 1.0–1.50–23TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.120–224
- Level
- A1 · Beginner
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