What does belie mean?
Word: Belie
Part of Speech: Verb
Meaning: Belie means to give a wrong idea of something, so that its true nature does not show.
How do you spell belie?
Syllables: be - lie
Tricky part: The sound at the end is the long i of my, so pupils write y. The ending is ie.
Watch out for: bely, belye
Memory tip: Pie and tie finish with the same two letters and the same sound.
Belie in a sentence
Example 1: The old scooter's rusty look belies its smooth, quiet engine.
Example 2: Her small handwriting belies the size of her ideas.
Example 3: The stream's gentle surface belies how fast it flows.
Fun Fact
The present participle looks quite different from the word itself: belying, with a y. It follows the same change as lie, which becomes lying.
Practise the CREST Way
Spell-o-Spell
Three of these words are misspelt. Choose the meaning of the one spelt correctly:
1. nostalgea 2. labrynth 3. connoiseur 4. belie
a) to hide what a thing is really like
b) a confusing network of paths
c) a warm longing for times gone by
d) an expert judge in matters of taste
Show answer
a) to hide what a thing is really like. Look closely at the rest: nostalgia ends in ia, labyrinth has a y after the r, and connoisseur has a double s.
Word Connection
Choose the synonym of the word belied as used in the sentence:
Kavya's easy smile belied the hours of hard practice behind her dance.
a) increased
b) shortened
c) explained
d) concealed
Show answer
d) concealed. Her smile kept the hard work out of view, so it concealed it.
Mingle-Mangle
Unjumble the word in the sentence and choose it:
The plain front of the little shop may ebiel the wonderful food served inside.
a) belong
b) begin
c) belie
d) befit
Show answer
c) belie. These five letters include an l and an i but no n, g, f or o.
Word Cookie
Find the misspelt word in the sentence:
The soft voice of our new music teacher may bellie the great power she can bring to a song when she stands before a full hall.
a) power
b) stands
c) bellie
d) voice
Show answer
c) bellie. The word has a single l.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. Which sentence uses belie correctly?
a) The rain will belie all night long.
b) His quick steps belie his eighty years.
c) Please belie the plates on the table.
d) We belie our bags at the station.
Show answer
b) His quick steps belie his eighty years.
2. A hill's gentle look belies the five hours it takes to climb. What does this tell you about its appearance?
a) It is exact
b) It is misleading
c) It is unusual
d) It is helpful
Show answer
b) It is misleading
