the true or actual state of a matter.
He tried to find out the truth.
conformity with fact or reality; verity.
the truth of a statement.
a verified or indisputable fact, proposition, principle, or the like.
mathematical truths.
the state or character of being true.
actuality or actual existence.
(often initial capital letter) ideal or fundamental reality apart from and transcending perceived experience.
the basic truths of life.
agreement with a standard or original.
accuracy, as of position or adjustment.
honesty; sincerity; truthfulness.
Archaic. fidelity or constancy.
the quality of being true, genuine, actual, or factual
the truth of his statement was attested
something that is true as opposed to false
you did not tell me the truth
a proven or verified principle or statement; fact
the truths of astronomy
(usually plural) a system of concepts purporting to represent some aspect of the world
the truths of ancient religions
fidelity to a required standard or law
faithful reproduction or portrayal
the truth of a portrait
an obvious fact; truism; platitude
honesty, reliability, or veracity
the truth of her nature
accuracy, as in the setting, adjustment, or position of something, such as a mechanical instrument
the state or quality of being faithful; allegiance
What is a basic definition of truth? Truth means the actual state of a matter, an adherence to reality, or an indisputable fact. Truth has several other senses as a noun. The truth refers to the version of reality that we exist in. Putting it more simply, if you are “telling the truth,” you are describing the world as it actually is and not making things up or telling lies.
See truism.
First recorded before 900; Middle English treuthe, Old English trēowth (cognate with Old Norse tryggth “faith”); see true, -th 1
Truth is something that squares with reality. When you are sworn in to give testimony in a U.S. court of law, you promise to "tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth." When you're cutting to the heart of something, you might start a statement with, "The truth of the matter is..." or "To tell the truth..." When you hear these introductory phrases containing truth, reality is supposed to follow. The American comedian Stephen Colbert coined the term truthiness as a satirical poke at politicians and pundits whose claims often have no basis in reality. Truthiness is what you wish were truth — unconstrained by fact or logic.
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Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
This is an important truth, but I wonder whether it is the whole truth.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 16, 2026
"You never know, that's the truth," said Potter after the 5-1 win.
From BBC • Jun. 15, 2026
I don’t understand how that can be, but as I get older, I’m simply trying to find out the truth.
From MarketWatch • Jun. 15, 2026
Spielberg described the film in April as “way closer to truth than fiction” during a speech at the CinemaCon trade convention in Las Vegas.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 14, 2026
I’d been way off course, theorizing jealous secrets, when Sela’s actual truth was another thing I’d always sucked at: self-love.
From "Legendary Frybread Drive-In" by Cynthia Leitich Smith
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
