Mistruth

A mistruth is a statement that is not true; a falsehood, lie, or untruth. It differs from an outright lie in that it may be presented with the belief, conscious or unconscious, that it contains some degree of truth or validity, even if that validity is small or significantly obscured. Mistruths can range from minor exaggerations or omissions to elaborate fabrications designed to deceive. They often exploit ambiguity or incomplete information to create a misleading impression, playing on the recipient’s existing biases or assumptions.

Mistruth meaning with examples

• The politician’s speech was peppered with mistruths about his opponent’s voting record, carefully twisting facts to paint a negative picture. This strategic distortion of truth, even if not a blatant lie, was designed to sway public opinion and advance his agenda.
• The salesperson presented a brochure filled with mistruths, showcasing the product’s capabilities with exaggerated claims about its performance and features. The subtle misrepresentations, although technically not lies, misled potential customers about its true value.
• In her memoir, the author confessed to weaving mistruths into the narrative, embellishing certain events to enhance the dramatic effect, although admitting that these fabrications had ultimately become an integral part of the story.
• The witness's testimony included several mistruths regarding the timing of events. While not directly perjuring himself, he omitted crucial details and downplayed his involvement, creating a biased and misleading account of the situation.
• The company's press release contained several carefully crafted mistruths about its financial performance. It selectively used statistics to obscure significant losses, painting a rosier picture than reality to reassure investors and maintain market value.