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Synonyms: True

Can you handle the truth? Learn this list of words for things that are real, factual, and trustworthy. For more synonym lists, explore our Say What You Mean resources.
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Full list of words from this list:

  1. accurate
    characterized by perfect conformity to fact or truth
    With all 50 states moving to reopen, accurate tracking is essential. New York Times (May 22, 2020)
    Accurate can mean "true," and it can also refer to careful and correct measurements. For example, a watch that keeps excellent time is very accurate.
  2. authentic
    not counterfeit or copied
    A recording of the pilot radioing in to the control tower as he tried to land circulated among Pakistani media and was confirmed as authentic by officials. New York Times (May 22, 2020)
  3. bona fide
    not counterfeit or copied
    In this instant-access age, such a door-to-door sales technique seems laughable, but it worked: I Think We’re Alone Now was a massive, bona fide hit. The Guardian (Apr 12, 2020)
    Bona fide means "with good faith" in Latin. In English, you can say "she's a bona fide genius," meaning a real one, or "here are my bona fides" when showing someone your qualifications.
  4. certain
    established beyond doubt or question; definitely known
    “I was certain my story was going to be boring. Just one of many. That hasn’t really happened.” Los Angeles Times (May 23, 2020)
  5. concrete
    capable of being perceived by the senses
    She is expected to announce more concrete education plans for summer and the beginning of the next academic year at a news conference Friday. Washington Post (May 21, 2020)
    Concrete means "real," as in something physical, heavy, and solid — like, well, concrete.
  6. evident
    clearly revealed to the mind or the senses or judgment
    That meticulous approach is evident in her famous early portrait of the Beatles in an empty, neglected Hamburg funfair, which was made just days after she first met them. The Guardian (May 19, 2020)
    Evident is Latin, meaning "obvious."
  7. factual
    existing in fact
    Paul V. Kelly, an attorney for the Taylors, said in an email that they plan to challenge Japan’s extradition request “on several legal and factual grounds.” Washington Post (May 20, 2020)
    Factum is Latin for "deed" or "action:" something that happened. So a fact is a little piece of reality, not subject to debate.
  8. genuine
    not fake or counterfeit
    These include traders coordinating strategies, with one placing the bogus spoof order and one the genuine order, or placing spoof orders in one market to allow them to execute genuine orders in correlated markets. Reuters (May 21, 2020)
  9. indubitable
    too obvious to be doubted
    Among these is a third indubitable masterpiece, the National Gallery’s “The Repose,” which he painted in 1860 and reworked later that decade. Washington Post (Sep 24, 2018)
    Dubitare is Latin for "doubt," so indubitable means "beyond doubt" or "unquestionable."
  10. legitimate
    in accordance with accepted standards or principles
    Until that time, I hadn’t truly appreciated that social history, or the examination of the experience of everyday life, was a legitimate area of investigation. The Guardian (May 23, 2020)
  11. material
    having substance or capable of being treated as fact
    So different, in fact, that you would assume there would be a material impact on the data each country produces. New York Times (May 22, 2020)
  12. palpable
    capable of being perceived
    There’s no question that interest in the Snyder cut is palpable, both from a fan’s and curious bystander’s perspective. The Verge (May 20, 2020)
    A Latin word meaning "that which can be touched," palpable in English refers to anything real or perceptible to the senses.
  13. substantial
    real; having a material or factual existence
    Stephen Evans, professor of pharmacoepidemiology at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, said it was unlikely that trials would now find any substantial benefit from the drugs. The Guardian (May 22, 2020)
    Like palpable, above, something substantial has substance: it can be touched or felt, it's real.
  14. tangible
    perceptible by the senses, especially the sense of touch
    “I think in about 10 years, we should see some very tangible practical applications of these bionic eyes.” Scientific American (May 20, 2020)
    And like the two words above, tangible also refers to something physically real that can be touched or felt.
  15. undeniable
    not possible to contradict
    Sito Pantoja of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace said: “The undeniable result is workers are involuntarily taking home less money to support their families. A pay cut is a pay cut.” Reuters (May 21, 2020)
  16. unimpeachable
    beyond doubt or reproach
    She might be our great bard of quarantine — with an unimpeachable daytime pajama look. New York Times (Apr 1, 2020)
    Something or someone who has been impeached is flawed, corrupt, or otherwise disreputable. So unimpeachable refers to something pure, honest, and true.
  17. valid
    well grounded in logic or truth or having legal force
    Whilst, without a valid boarding pass they struggled to buy toiletries and clothes, and were not even allowed to collect their luggage. BBC (May 22, 2020)
    From the Latin for "strong," valid is used to describe something true or well-founded.
  18. veracious
    habitually speaking the truth
    For too long this film renders a portrait of a feminist artist in clown paint, though Tomlin hangs in with a veracious, multidimensional performance. Los Angeles Times (Aug 20, 2015)
  19. veritable
    being truly so called; real or genuine
    After sacking his health minister, Bolsonaro claimed to be fighting for “the long-suffering Brazilian people” and warned coronavirus threatened to become “a veritable meat grinder of jobs”. The Guardian (Apr 17, 2020)
    Like veracious, above, veritable contains the Latin root ver-, which we also see in verily, verify, and other words having to do with the truth.
Created on Fri Feb 28 17:28:17 EST 2020 (updated Mon Mar 22 17:52:22 EDT 2021)

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