# liar

/ˈɫaɪɝ/ (US) · /lˈaɪə/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/liar
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. someone who tells lies

noun · CEFR A2

a person who says things that they know are not true.

For teachers: a person who intentionally utters falsehoods or deceptions.

- I don't believe anything he says because he is a known liar.
- The witness was exposed as a liar when the prosecution presented video evidence that directly contradicted his earlier testimony.

### 2. ship cleaner

noun · CEFR C2 · Archaic

a person on a ship whose job was to clean the outside parts of the boat.

For teachers: a swabber responsible for cleaning the exterior parts of a ship, a role historically assigned as punishment to those caught lying.

- In the old days, a sailor caught in a lie might be forced to work as the ship's liar.
- The captain appointed the deckhand as the week's liar, tasking him with the arduous cleaning of the hull as penance for his deceit.

Usage: This term is found in historical maritime contexts and is no longer used in modern sailing.

## Examples

- He is a liar and cannot be trusted.
- The witness was exposed as a liar when the security footage proved he was not at the scene.
- In political discourse, the label of liar is often used to discredit an opponent's entire platform rather than to address specific factual inaccuracies.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.