truth
truth — noun
1. what actually happened in a situation, as opposed to what people imagine, suspec
what actually happened in a situation, as opposed to what people imagine, suspect, or claim happened
The whole truth about the accident only came out at the trial.
the whole truth about
Dahlia finally told her parents the truth about why she had left university.
tell + object + the truth about
Journalists have a duty to report the truth to the public.
The truth is that the Apex Corporation knew about the faulty brake pads for six months before recalling the cars.
the truth is that + clause [concrete company/product]
The children were too young to understand the truth about what had happened.
- tell the truth
- the whole truth
- discover the truth
- hide the truth
- the truth about
- the truth is
- learn the truth
- seek the truth
Grammar Patterns
the truth that + clause
the truth about + noun
Usage Note
The most common sense of 'truth'. Usually used with the definite article 'the'. Can also appear in 'whole truth', 'simple truth', and 'the truth of the matter'.
Common Mistakes
2. the quality that a statement, idea, or piece of information has when it matches
the quality that a statement, idea, or piece of information has when it matches what is real or what actually happened
The truth of Amihan's statement was confirmed by the video recording.
the truth of + noun phrase
Padma questioned the truth of the ancient Greek story about a wooden horse that held soldiers inside.
question the truth of + specific claim
Layla questioned the truth of the claims made in the advertisement.
question the truth of
Salma repeated the experiment three times to check the truth of her initial findings.
uncountable: no article before 'truth'
- the truth of [something]
- question the truth of
- doubt the truth of
- test the truth of
- confirm the truth of
Usage Note
Uncountable — cannot be used with 'a' or 'an'. Frequently followed by 'of' + noun phrase to specify what is being checked for truthfulness.
Common Mistakes
3. used in fixed expressions such as 'to tell you the truth', 'the truth is', and '
used in fixed expressions such as 'to tell you the truth', 'the truth is', and 'in truth' to introduce a frank or honest statement, especially when admitting something surprising or unwelcome
To tell you the truth, I never really liked the food at that restaurant.
fixed phrase: to tell you the truth
The truth is, I was too scared to say anything during the meeting.
In truth, the project turned out to be far more difficult than anyone expected.
fixed phrase: in truth
Rodrigo is, in truth, one of the most dedicated teachers at the school.
- to tell you the truth
- the truth is
- in truth
- truth be told
- honestly
adverb used similarly to introduce an honest statement
- frankly
more direct; often used before a blunt or critical opinion
- to be honest
equivalent phrase, very common in everyday speech
Grammar Patterns
in truth
to tell you the truth
the truth is
Usage Note
Only appears in a few fixed expressions: 'the truth is (that)...', 'to tell you the truth', and 'in truth'. The phrase 'truth be told' also belongs here. Cannot be modified by adjectives or used with possessive determiners.
Common Mistakes
4. what someone honestly believes or feels deep inside about their own life or iden
what someone honestly believes or feels deep inside about their own life or identity, which may be different from what others think or from what is objectively true
After years of hiding her feelings, Amihan finally accepted her own truth.
possessive + own truth
Baraka's truth about the argument was very different from his brother's version.
The novel follows a woman who spends a year discovering her personal truth.
personal truth
In therapy, Vivek began to speak his truth for the first time in years.
- my truth
- your truth
- her truth
- his truth
- their truth
- speak one's truth
- find one's truth
- personal truth
- accept one's truth
- live one's truth
- conviction
a firmly held belief or opinion
- belief
something accepted as true; broader and less emotionally charged
- perspective
a particular way of seeing things; emphasises point of view
Grammar Patterns
possessive + truth
Usage Note
Commonly used with possessive determiners: 'my truth', 'her truth', 'their truth'. This sense contrasts with sense 1 (REAL FACTS), which refers to objective facts that everyone can agree on. Sense 4 is subjective and may differ from person to person.
Common Mistakes
❌ 'His truth is that he stole the money, so we should call the police.' — Use sense 1 (REAL FACTS) for provable facts. Sense 4 is for subjective, personal beliefs.
5. a statement or idea that a large number of people believe to be correct, especia
a statement or idea that a large number of people believe to be correct, especially one considered always valid across many situations
The ancient Greeks believed in universal truths about justice that they called natural laws.
countable plural: universal truths
After losing his job in the flood, Zayd learned the great truth that nothing stays the same forever.
great truth that + clause
The scientist spent years searching for a single truth that explained everything.
countable: a single truth
Buddhist teachings offer specific truths about suffering and the path to inner peace.
specific truths about [concrete topic]
The kindergarten teacher watched Hugo discover basic truths about gravity by dropping crayons from his desk.
basic truths about [concrete concept]
- universal truth
- absolute truth
- fundamental truth
- basic truth
- eternal truth
- great truth
- a truth about
- the truths of
Grammar Patterns
a truth that + clause
plural: truths
Usage Note
Countable — use 'a truth' for one principle, 'truths' for multiple. Common in philosophical, religious, and scientific writing. 'Truth' in this sense is often modified by adjectives such as 'universal', 'absolute', 'fundamental', 'eternal', or 'basic'.
Common Mistakes
To not tell the whole truth by leaving out important details.
The politician was economical with the truth during the interview.
When asked about the missing money, he was economical with the truth.
bend the truth
idiomTo say something that is not completely true.
Sara bent the truth when she said she had finished the project.
Did you bend the truth about your experience on your resume?
Used to reveal the true facts of a situation, especially when they are not widely known.
If truth be told, I was nervous about the exam.
If the truth be known, the company was already bankrupt.
in truth
idiomUsed to emphasize that something is the actual fact.
In truth, the movie was not as good as the book.
He seemed happy, but in truth he was very lonely.
the moment of truth
idiomA time when someone or something is tested or a decision must be made.
The moment of truth came when the pilot had to land the plane.
For the athlete, the moment of truth was the final race.
Used to say that a statement or belief is completely wrong.
She thinks I'm angry, but nothing could be further from the truth.
If you believe he is lazy, nothing could be further from the truth.
Used when admitting something honestly.
To tell you the truth, I don't like spicy food.
To tell the truth, I forgot about the meeting.
Used to say that real events can be more surprising than imaginary stories.
The story of his life shows that truth is stranger than fiction.
It sounds unbelievable, but truth is stranger than fiction.
(the) truth will out
idiomUsed to say that the true facts will eventually become known.
Don't worry, the truth will out in the end.
Despite the cover-up, truth will out eventually.
Word family
Synonym discussion
Sense: noun/1
Truth, fact, and reality all relate to what is true or real, but they are not interchangeable. Truth (sense 2) is the broadest term — it refers to the full set of real facts about a situation. Fact is more specific: a fact is a single piece of information that can be checked and proved (it is a fact that water boils at 100°C). Reality refers to the actual state of existence, often contrasted with how things appear or what people hope for. Verity is formal and literary, typically used for an enduring or universal truth, not for everyday facts. For example: 'The truth about the accident was finally discovered.' 'It is a historical fact that the building was completed in 1890.' 'In reality, the journey took twice as long as planned.'
Common collocations
Etymology
Truth comes from Old English trīewþ (faithfulness, loyalty). It is related to the word true and to the idea of trust — all share an ancient root meaning 'firm, reliable.' Over many centuries, the meaning expanded from a personal quality (being faithful to someone) to a quality of statements (being faithful to the facts).