/ənˈtɹu/
untrue is pronounced /ənˈtɹu/. Untrue is an adjective meaning not true; false or lacking in truth. It describes statements or beliefs that do not reflect reality or are contradicted by evidence. The term emphasizes a deviation from factual accuracy and is often used to challenge credibility or uphold honesty in discourse.
Say it backUntrue is an adjective meaning not true; false or lacking in truth. It describes statements or beliefs that do not reflect reality or are contradicted by evidence. The term emphasizes a deviation from factual accuracy and is often used to challenge credibility or uphold honesty in discourse.
"The witness testimony proved that the defendant's alibi was untrue."
"She dismissed the rumor as untrue after verifying the facts."
"Calling it untrue, he provided documented proof to support his claim."
Say untrue as /ʌnˈtruː/. Start with a short, relaxed /ʌ/ in the first syllable, then a clear /n/ before the stressed /ˈtruː/. The second syllable has a long /uː/ (as in 'too') and ends with a soft /r/ before a silent trailing 'ue' that retains the /uː/ vowel. In American and British English, the stress is on the second syllable: un-TRU-e. Ensure the mouth opens slightly wider for /uː/ and the lips are rounded, with the tongue rising toward a high back position for /uː/. Listen to audio references for subtle rhoticity cues; you’ll hear the smooth linking into the final long vowel.
Common errors: (1) Flattening the second syllable to a short /u/ rather than the long /uː/; (2) Not pronouncing the /r/ clearly in /ˈtruː/ or letting it become non-rhotic; (3) Dropping the final /uː/ or making it a schwa. Correction tips: keep the /ˈtruː/ strong with a tense high back vowel, explicitly produce the /r/ in American and rhotics; maintain lip rounding for /uː/ and avoid reducing it in careful speech. Practice by contrast with 'true' to maintain the vowel length and rhotic orientation without clipping the r.
In US English, you’ll hear a clear rhotic /r/ in /ˈtruː/ and a widely pronounced long /uː/; non-rhotic variants may soften the /r/ depending on speaker. UK English typically preserves rhoticity less forcefully in some accents; the /r/ may be less pronounced in the coda position, but the /uː/ remains long and tense. Australian English generally maintains the /ɹ/ in rhotic contexts and uses a pure /uː/ vowel; slight vowel quality shifts, with a more centralized onset in some speakers. In all cases, the stress remains on the second syllable: un-TRU-e.
Challenges center on producing /ʌ/ in the first syllable followed by a strong /n/ and a stressed /ˈtruː/ with a precise /t/ before /r/ and the long /uː/ vowel. Some learners flatten /ˈtruː/ into /truː/ or misplace the /t/ and /r/ sequence, producing /ˈtruː/ lacking the initial 'n' cue. You’ll also hear variation in where the stress lands in casual speech. Practice emphasizing the second syllable nucleus, ensuring the /t/ and /r/ are clean and the /uː/ is sustained.
A key tip is to anchor the second syllable with a deliberate tongue-tip /t/ release followed by a rapid but controlled /r/ onset into the /uː/. Use a brief, hiss-less release for the /t/ and avoid assimilating the /t/ into a flap in rapid speech. Keep your lips rounded for /uː/ and ensure the /r/ is not swallowed. Visual cues: show your upper teeth touching the bottom lip lightly while you lift the tongue to the alveolar ridge for the /t/ + /r/ cluster.
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Accent tips: - US: rhotic /r/ is pronounced; keep a tight but relaxed tongue for the /r/ following /t/. Vowel quality: /uː/ is long and tense. - UK: rhoticity varies; you may hear a lighter /r/; focus on the vowel length, keeping /uː/ long. - AU: generally rhotic with a clear /r/; slightly wider vowel spacing; maintain /uː/ without centering. IPA references: US /ʌnˈtruː/, UK /ʌnˈtruː/, AU /ʌnˈtro͞o/.
Untrue comes from Middle English un- (a negative prefix) + true, which derives from Old English triewa, meaning faithful or trustworthy. Over time, true evolved from Proto-Germanic *trewwiz to Old English treowe/treuw, signifying fidelity and reliability. The prefix un- attached to true to form a negation, producing a term used to denote statements or beliefs that do not conform to reality. By the late Middle Ages, untrue was established in written English as a standard descriptor for falsity or deception. The semantic field expanded to include caveats about sincerity, authenticity, and factual correctness. In modern usage, untrue often carries a stronger rhetorical charge than merely false, implying a deliberate misrepresentation or a challenge to credibility, and is frequently used in legal, journalistic, and investigative contexts. The word retains its crisp, evaluative tone and is commonly found in both formal critique and everyday speech, signaling a clear denial of truth within a given claim or assertion.
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Words that rhyme with "untrue"
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