untrue
- 01 B1 Intermediate
not based on facts; false.
factually inaccurate or not in accordance with reality.
Simple“The rumours about the company closing down turned out to be completely untrue.”
In context“The witness provided a statement that was later proven to be untrue during the cross-examination by the defence attorney.”
- 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
not faithful to a partner, friend, or duty.
lacking in loyalty or fidelity; specifically used regarding romantic partners or moral obligations.
Simple“He felt guilty because he had been untrue to his wife.”
In context“The protagonist struggles with the consequences of being untrue to his principles in order to achieve professional success.”
UsageOften followed by the preposition 'to'.
Teacher's tipIn modern conversation, 'unfaithful' is much more common than 'untrue' when talking about romantic relationships.
Synonyms
From Middle English untrewe, from Old English untrīewe, from Proto-West Germanic untriuwī, from Proto-Germanic untriwwiz. Equivalent to un- + true.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.