Falseness: meaning, definitions and examples

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falseness

 

[ ˈfɔːlsnəs ]

Noun
Context #1 | Noun

in philosophy

The quality of not being true or accurate; the state of being deceptive or misleading.

Synonyms

deceit, dishonesty, untruthfulness.

Which Synonym Should You Choose?

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Word Description / Examples
falseness

Use in situations where you need to describe something that lacks truth or genuineness, often referring to a characteristic or state.

  • The falseness of the smile was noticeable to everyone.
  • There was a profound falseness in his words.
deceit

Appropriate in contexts where you need to highlight deliberate actions taken to mislead or deceive someone.

  • His deceit led to the company's downfall.
  • She uncovered the deceit behind their seemingly kind gestures.
dishonesty

Used when describing someone's behavior that involves lying or cheating, often with a moral judgement.

  • The candidate was accused of dishonesty during the campaign.
  • His dishonesty was evident when the truth came out.
untruthfulness

Applicable when you need to express the quality of being untrue, usually implying an ongoing pattern rather than a single instance.

  • Her untruthfulness made it hard for people to trust her.
  • The report's untruthfulness raised many concerns.

Examples of usage

  • It is important to distinguish between falseness and truth in philosophical discussions.
  • The falseness of his statements was soon exposed.
  • She was hurt by the falseness of his promises.
Context #2 | Noun

general

The quality of not corresponding to reality or fact; lack of authenticity.

Synonyms

counterfeit, inauthenticity, spurious.

Which Synonym Should You Choose?

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Word Description / Examples
falseness

use when describing things or situations that are not genuine or true, often relating to feelings or statements.

  • She felt the falseness of his apology
  • There's a clear falseness in his claim
inauthenticity

use when describing a lack of being genuine, typically about a personality, behavior, or experience that feels unnatural or staged.

  • The inauthenticity of her social media posts is obvious
  • There is a sense of inauthenticity in his public persona
counterfeit

most often refers to fake money, documents, or goods intended to deceive by replicating something valuable.

  • He was arrested for carrying counterfeit bills
  • The market is flooded with counterfeit designer watches
spurious

mainly used when referring to arguments, claims, or products that are false or lacking validity, often carrying a scholarly or formal tone.

  • His spurious argument did not hold up in court
  • Some spurious claims were made about the benefits of the product

Examples of usage

  • The falseness of the painting was revealed by the expert.
  • The falseness of his identity was discovered during the investigation.
Context #3 | Noun

emotional

The act of pretending to have emotions, beliefs, or virtues that one does not truly possess.

Synonyms

hypocrisy, insincerity, pretense.

Which Synonym Should You Choose?

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Word Description / Examples
falseness

Used to describe something or someone that is not true or real, often implying deceit or misrepresentation.

  • The falseness of his smile was obvious to everyone.
  • She couldn't stand the falseness in the advertising.
hypocrisy

Used when someone pretends to have beliefs, opinions, or virtues that they do not actually possess. This word carries a strong negative connotation.

  • The hypocrisy of his actions shocked his supporters.
  • She was accused of hypocrisy for criticizing the behavior she herself engaged in.
pretense

Describes an attempt to make something that is not the case appear true, often involving acting or pretending. This can be used in both negative and less severe contexts.

  • Under the pretense of friendship, he managed to get what he wanted.
  • She kept up the pretense of happiness even though she was deeply unhappy.
insincerity

Refers to a lack of genuine feeling or honesty, usually in personal interactions. This implies that someone is being fake or dishonest.

  • Her insincerity was evident in her empty compliments.
  • He felt the insincerity in their polite conversation.

Examples of usage

  • His falseness in pretending to care for her was evident to everyone around.

Translations

Translations of the word "falseness" in other languages:

🇵🇹 falsidade

🇮🇳 झूठापन

🇩🇪 Falschheit

🇮🇩 kebohongan

🇺🇦 неправдивість

🇵🇱 fałszywość

🇯🇵 虚偽 (きょぎ)

🇫🇷 fausseté

🇪🇸 falsedad

🇹🇷 sahtecilik

🇰🇷 거짓

🇸🇦 زيف

🇨🇿 nepravdivost

🇸🇰 nepravdivosť

🇨🇳 虚伪 (xūwěi)

🇸🇮 lažnost

🇮🇸 ósannsögli

🇰🇿 жалғандық

🇬🇪 ცრუობა

🇦🇿 yalançılıq

🇲🇽 falsedad

Etymology

The word 'falseness' originated from the Middle English word 'falsenes', which came from the Old English 'falsnys', ultimately derived from the Latin 'falsus' meaning 'false'. The concept of falseness has been explored in various fields such as philosophy, psychology, and literature, highlighting the importance of distinguishing truth from deception.

See also: falsehood, falsehoods, falsely, falsification, falsity.

Word Frequency Rank

This word's position of #30,782 indicates it's among the more rare English words. While understanding it broadens your vocabulary, focus on more common words first.