nugget of truth
Small accurate part
A nugget of truth is a small but genuine element of accuracy embedded within something that is otherwise false, exaggerated, or misleading.
The phrase acknowledges that even unreliable sources, wild rumors, or obvious fabrications may contain some kernel of valid information.
Every conspiracy theory has a nugget of truth that makes it believable.
The expression draws on the image of a gold nugget—something small but valuable that must be extracted from surrounding worthless material.
- factVerifiable piece of information
- bare factsUnembellished essential information
- kernelSeed or essential core
- discoveryAct of finding something
- subtextImplicit meaning beneath words
shard · essence · exaggeration · sliver · distortion · implication · fragment · fleck · validity · glimmer · trace · mote · veracity · genuineness · integrity · reality · honesty · factoid
nugget of truthbald-faced lie
Shameless, obvious untruth
pack of lies · misinformation · disinformation · tall tale · barefaced lie
nugget of truththe whole truth
the whole story · unvarnished truth · nothing but the truth · white lie · the big picture
nugget, nuggets, truth, truths, untrue, untruth, untruths, truthful, truthfully