Word: belie (verb)

Associations

"Belie" means to show something to be false or to give a wrong idea about something. It is often used when someone's appearance or words do not match the reality.

• Example 1: "Her calm face belies her nervousness." This means her calm face hides the fact that she is nervous.
• Example 2: "The data belies the company's claim of growth." This means the data shows the company's claim is not true.
• Example 3: "His actions belie his words." This means what he does is different from what he says.

A synonym is "contradict," but "belie" often suggests hiding or giving a false impression, while "contradict" means directly saying the opposite.

Substitution

You can use words like "contradict," "disguise," or "mask" depending on the context.

• "Contradict" is stronger and means directly oppose.
• "Disguise" and "mask" suggest hiding true feelings or facts. Changing the word changes how direct or subtle the meaning is.

Deconstruction

"Belie" comes from Old English "belēogan," which means "to lie about" or "to deceive."

• "Be-" is a prefix meaning "about" or "around."
• "Lie" means to tell an untruth. So, "belie" means to give a false idea or to lie about something.

Inquiry

• Can you think of a situation where someone's appearance belies their true feelings?
• How would you use "belie" to describe a situation in your life or in a story you know?
• Why do you think people or things sometimes belie what they really are?