misrepresentation
Twisting the facts
Misrepresentation is a false or misleading account of something.
The word often implies intent to deceive: The lawsuit alleged misrepresentation of the property's condition.
In legal contexts, misrepresentation can void contracts or establish fraud.
More loosely, any inaccurate portrayal qualifies: That headline is a misrepresentation of what I actually said.
Deliberate falsehood
- untruthA false statement
- falsityState of being incorrect
- inaccuracyLack of precision
- fibTrivial, harmless falsehood
fabrication · canard · misinformation · myth · tall tale · invention · whopper · erroneousness
Deliberate misleading of others
- fraudIntentional criminal trickery
- hoaxDeliberate deception for effect
- shamFraudulent imitation
- fabricationDeliberately untrue statement
falsification · duplicity · subterfuge · chicanery · forgery · counterfeit · disinformation · guile
Intentional criminal trickery
- perjuryCriminal courtroom dishonesty
- defamationFalse statements harming reputation
- libelPrinted defamation
- slanderSpoken false defamation
false advertising · securities fraud · consumer protection · false statement · misstatement · tortious · damages · liability
Overstating beyond reality
- biasUnfair inclination or prejudice
- skewTwist from straight
- twistRotating motion or surprise
- spinRapid rotation around axis
slant · caricature · garble · perversion · misinterpretation · misconstrual · embellishment · hyperbole
Coercive psychological manipulation
- indoctrinationSystematic uncritical belief instillation
- disinformationIntentional deceptive falsehoods
- agitpropPolitical art for causes
- manipulationUnderhanded control of others
spin · demagoguery · echo chamber · mythmaking · polarization · half-truths · fearmongering · dog whistle
lie
Deliberate falsehood
- untruthA false statement
- falsityState of being incorrect
- inaccuracyLack of precision
fib · fabrication · canard · misinformation · myth · tall tale · invention · whopper · erroneousness · fallacy
deceit
Deliberate misleading of others
fabrication · falsification · duplicity · subterfuge · chicanery · forgery · counterfeit · disinformation · guile · artifice
fraud
Intentional criminal trickery
- perjuryCriminal courtroom dishonesty
- defamationFalse statements harming reputation
- libelPrinted defamation
slander · false advertising · securities fraud · consumer protection · false statement · misstatement · tortious · damages · liability · breach
exaggeration
Overstating beyond reality
spin · slant · caricature · garble · perversion · misinterpretation · misconstrual · embellishment · hyperbole · overstatement
brainwashing
Coercive psychological manipulation
- indoctrinationSystematic uncritical belief instillation
- disinformationIntentional deceptive falsehoods
- agitpropPolitical art for causes
manipulation · spin · demagoguery · echo chamber · mythmaking · polarization · half-truths · fearmongering · dog whistle · talking points
- deceptionlie, lies, lying, fake, fraud
- wrongdoingmisconduct, crime, sabotage, crimes, misbehavior
- falsehoodslie, lies, lying, fib, fibbing
- lies & deceptionlies, fibs, whoppers, tall tales, white lies
- long wordssupercalifragilisticexpialidocious, antidisestablishmentarianism, incomprehensibilities, counterrevolutionary, electroencephalograph
- contractsbinding contracts, contract length, lease, clause, contract terms
misrepresentationhonesty
Truthfulness, sincerity
candor · forthrightness · frankness · transparency · full disclosure
misrepresentationcorrection
Fixing of mistakes
rectification · clarification · setting the record straight · retraction · amendment