If something is true, it is based on facts rather than being invented or imagined, and is accurate and reliable.
Everything I had heard about him was true.
He said it was true that a collision had happened.
The play follows the true story of the couple whose daughter has an extreme formof Asperger's syndrome.
Synonyms: correct, right, accurate, exact More Synonyms of true
2. adjective [ADJECTIVE noun]
You use true to emphasize that a person or thing is sincere or genuine, often in contrast to something that is pretended or hidden.
[emphasis]
I allowed myself to acknowledge my true feelings.
The true cost often differs from that which had first been projected.
He argues that he is the true candidate of change.
Synonyms: actual, real, natural, pure More Synonyms of true
3. adjective [ADJECTIVE noun]
If you use true to describe something or someone, you approve of them because they have all the characteristics or qualities that such a personor thing typically has.
[approval]
This country professes to be a true democracy.
Maybe one day you'll find true love.
The ability to work collaboratively is a true test of leadership.
I think he's a true genius.
4. adjective
If you say that a fact is trueof a particular person or situation, you mean that it is valid or relevant for them.
The romance may have gone out of the marriage, but this is true of many couples. [+ of]
Expenditure on health has gone down, and the same is true for education. [+ for]
Synonyms: exact, perfect, correct, accurate More Synonyms of true
5. graded adjective [usu it v-link ADJ]
You can use true in order to admit that a fact or opinion is real or valid before indicating that you think that it is not important or relevant in the circumstances.
It's true she gets madly impatient with him, but what mother doesn't?
They were still fashionable figures, it is true, but they were no longer public celebrities.
'Things are different in my country.' 'True, true, but we're not in your country,are we?'
6. adjective
If you are true to someone, you remain committed and loyal to them. If you are true to an idea or promise, you remain committed to it and continue to act according to it.
Many consumers remain true to their favourite brand. [+ to]
India has remained true to democracy. [+ to]
She's been true to her word from day one. [+ to]
7.
See come true
8.
See hold true
9.
See too good to be true
10.
See true to life
11. true colours
12. true to form
13. to ring true
14. tried and true
More Synonyms of true
true in British English
(truː)
adjectiveWord forms: truer or truest
1.
not false, fictional, or illusory; factual or factually accurate; conforming with reality
2. (prenominal)
being of real or natural origin; genuine; not synthetic
true leather
3.
a.
unswervingly faithful and loyal to friends, a cause, etc
a true follower
b.
(as collective noun; preceded by the)
the loyal and the true
4.
faithful to a particular concept of truth, esp of religious truth
a true believer
5.
conforming to a required standard, law, or pattern
a true aim
a true fit
6.
exactly in tune
a true note
7.
(of a compass bearing) according to the earth's geographical rather than magnetic poles
true north
8. biology
conforming to the typical structure of a designated type
sphagnum moss is a true moss, Spanish moss is not
9. physics
not apparent or relative; taking into account all complicating factors
the true expansion of a liquid takes into account the expansion of the container
Compare apparent (sense 3)
10. not true
11. true to life
noun
12.
correct alignment (esp in the phrases in true, out of true)
adverb
13.
truthfully; rightly
14.
precisely or unswervingly
he shot true
15. biology
without variation from the ancestral type
to breed true
verbWord forms: trues, truing or trued
16. (transitive)
to adjust so as to make true
Derived forms
trueness (ˈtrueness)
noun
Word origin
Old English triewe; related to Old Frisian triūwe, Old Saxon, Old High German triuwi loyal, Old Norse tryggr; see trow, trust
true in American English
(tru)
adjectiveWord forms: ˈtruer or ˈtruest
1.
faithful; loyal; constant
2.
reliable; certain
a true indication
3.
in accordance with fact; that agrees with reality; not false
4.
a.
conforming to an original, pattern, rule, standard, etc.
b.
exact; accurate; right; correct
5.
rightful; lawful; legitimate
the true heirs
6.
accurately fitted, placed, or shaped
a door that is not true to the frame
7.
a.
real; genuine; authentic
a true diamond
b.
conforming to the ideal character or having all the basic characteristics of such; rightly so called
a true scholar
8.
determined by the poles of the earth's axis, not by the earth's magnetic poles
true north
9. Archaic
honest, virtuous, or truthful
adverbWord forms: ˈtruer or ˈtruest
10.
in a true manner; truly, truthfully, accurately, etc.
11. Biology
with the same inherited trait or traits as a parent; without variation
to breed true
verb transitiveWord forms: trued, ˈtruing or ˈtrueing
12.
to fit, place, or shape accurately
often with up
noun
13.
that which is true; truth or reality
with the
Idioms:
come true
in true
out of true
true to form
SYNONYMY NOTE: true, actual, real1 are often used interchangeably to imply correspondence with fact, but in discriminatinguse, , true implies conformity with a standard or model [a true democrat] or with what actually exists [a true story], actual stresses existence or occurrence and is, hence, strictly applied to concrete things[actual and hypothetical examples], and real1 highlights a distinction between what something is and what a substitute, counterfeit,etc. seems or pretends to be [real rubber, real courage]
Derived forms
trueness (ˈtrueness)
noun
Word origin
ME treue < OE treowe < treow, faith, akin to Ger treu < IE *drew-, var. of base *deru- > tree: basic sense “firm (as a tree)”
More idioms containing
true
see someone in their true colours
ring true
Examples of 'true' in a sentence
true
It matters to him that the one true love of his life finally be recognised.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
True to form he does not readily submit.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
That may have been true when most jobs were boring and tiring.
Times, Sunday Times (2017)
The same is true of this country.
The Sun (2017)
Follow your dreams and work hard to make them come true.
The Sun (2017)
These are not their real names but their story is true and deeply troubling.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
And that used to be true.
The Sun (2016)
He said: 'It is not true.
The Sun (2016)
While that is often true, it's not always the case.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
The moon gives you the intuition to help you find the answers in tests and contests - and see people 's true character.
The Sun (2017)
Use of a true adjective in the plural to qualify a plural noun is uncommon.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
True love needs you to be true to yourselves.
The Sun (2016)
This is often especially true of new teachers.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
It is that true democracy consists of much more than elections.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
What is true of housing is also true of infrastructure.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
This year especially that may seem true.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
She has to be true to her country or to her heart.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
The dreams they make come true are life changing.
The Sun (2013)
Very few people knew the true extent of her poverty.
Louise Carpenter AN UNLIKELY COUNTESS: Lily Budge and the 13th Earl of Galloway (2004)
Your ability to read minds and true motives will keep you ahead in all you do.
The Sun (2012)
Such an attachment from so true and loyal a gentleman could make no woman angry.
William Thackeray Vanity Fair (1837)
This is true of all forms of mass media.
Appelbaum, Richard P. Sociology (1995)
Which of these improbable facts is true?
The Sun (2010)
What will it take to turn the group into a true team?
Christianity Today (2000)
We hope we can make our dreams come true.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
The whole fight was to keep the film absolutely as true to the book as possible.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
Whether this story is true or not, it holds a considerable symbolic weight.
Marsden, Philip The Crossing-Place (1993)
Everything is true, especially the bit where we all lie.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
If what you tell me is true and correct, we have a deal.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
Quotations
Many a true word is spoken in jest
In other languages
true
British English: true /truː/ ADJECTIVE
factual If a story is true, it really happened.
Everything she said was true.
American English: true
Arabic: حَقِيقِيّ
Brazilian Portuguese: verdadeiro
Chinese: 真实的
Croatian: istinito
Czech: pravdivý
Danish: sand
Dutch: waar
European Spanish: verdadero
Finnish: tosi
French: vrai correct
German: wahr
Greek: αληθινός
Italian: vero
Japanese: 本当の
Korean: 진실한
Norwegian: sann
Polish: prawdziwy
European Portuguese: verdadeiro
Romanian: real
Russian: истинный
Latin American Spanish: verdadero
Swedish: sant
Thai: ที่เป็นเรื่องจริง
Turkish: gerçek söz
Ukrainian: правда
Vietnamese: thật
British English: true /truː/ ADJECTIVE
correct If something is true, it is right or correct.
Is it true that you have six cats?
American English: true
Arabic: صَحِيح
Brazilian Portuguese: verdade
Chinese: 真的
Croatian: istinito
Czech: pravdivý
Danish: sandt
Dutch: ware
European Spanish: cierto
Finnish: tosi
French: vrai
German: wahr
Greek: αληθινός
Italian: vero
Japanese: 本当の
Korean: 사실인
Norwegian: sann
Polish: prawda.
European Portuguese: verdadeiro
Romanian: adevărat
Russian: правильный
Latin American Spanish: TRUE
Swedish: sant
Thai: จริง
Turkish: gerçek
Ukrainian: дійсно
Vietnamese: có thực
All related terms of 'true'
in true
properly set, adjusted , aligned , etc.; exact
come true
If a dream , wish , or prediction comes true , it actually happens .
hold true
If a general statement holds true in particular circumstances , or if your previous statement holds true in different circumstances, it is true or valid in those circumstances.
not true
unbelievable ; remarkable
ring true
if a statement or a promise rings true, it seems to be true or sincere
true bill
(formerly in Britain; now only US) the endorsement made on a bill of indictment by a grand jury certifying it to be supported by sufficient evidence to warrant committing the accused to trial
true blue
If you describe someone as true-blue , you mean that they are right-wing in their ideas and opinions .
true-born
being such by birth
true-life
directly comparable to reality
true rib
any of the upper seven pairs of ribs in humans
true ribs
ribs that are attached by cartilage directly to the sternum ; in humans, the upper seven pairs of ribs
true time
the time shown by a sundial ; solar time. When the sun is at the highest point in its daily path , the true time is exactly noon
True Cross
→ the True Cross
true fruit
a fruit derived from a single carpel or from the united carpels of a single flower
true laurel
any lauraceous tree of the genus Laurus , such as the bay tree (see bay4 ) and L. canariensis , of the Canary Islands and Azores
true level
a hypothetical surface that is perpendicular at every point to the plumb line, such as the mean sea level or geoid
true north
the direction from any point along a meridian towards the North Pole
true anomaly
something anomalous
true believer
a dedicated follower or disciple , esp. a person whose devotion to another, a cause, etc. is blind or unquestioning
true champion
A champion is someone who has won the first prize in a competition , contest , or fight.
true colours
If you see someone in their true colours or if they show their true colours , you realize what they are really like.
true-hearted
faithful and loyal
true identity
Your identity is who you are.
true religion
Religion is belief in a god or gods and the activities that are connected with this belief, such as praying or worshipping in a building such as a church or temple .
out of true
not properly set, adjusted , aligned , etc.; inexact
true character
You use character to say what kind of person someone is. For example, if you say that someone is a strange character , you mean they are strange.
true democracy
A democracy is a country in which the people choose their government by voting for it.
true to form
If someone or something behaves true to form , they do what is expected and is typical of them.
true to life
If you say that something such as a story or a film is true to life , you approve of it because it seems real .
rumour is true
A rumour is a story or piece of information that may or may not be true , but that people are talking about.
the True Cross
the cross on which Christ was crucified , supposed relics of which were venerated by Christians in the middle ages
tried and true tried and trusted
Tried is used in the expressions tried and tested , tried and trusted , and tried and true , which describe a product or method that has already been used and has been found to be successful .
true allegations
An allegation is a statement saying that someone has done something wrong .
true-heartedness
the quality of being true-hearted
bug
A bug is an insect or similar small creature .
true-false test
a test to which the answers are true or false
full rhyme
rhyme between words in which the stressed vowels and any succeeding consonants are identical although the consonants preceding the stressed vowels may be different, as between part/ hart or believe / conceive
geographic north
the direction from any point along a meridian towards the North Pole
too good to be true
If you say that something seems too good to be true , you are suspicious of it because it seems better than you had expected , and you think there may something wrong with it that you have not noticed .
show one's (true) colors
to reveal one's true self
to ring true ring hollow
If a statement rings true , it seems to be true or genuine . If it rings hollow , it does not seem to be true or genuine.
tried-and-tested
recognized as reliable ; found to be successful
truelove knot
a complicated bowknot that is hard to untie , symbolizing ties of love
see someone in their true colours
to suddenly become aware that a person is not as moral or honest as you thought they were
laurel
A laurel or a laurel tree is a small evergreen tree with shiny leaves. The leaves are sometimes used to make decorations such as wreaths.
laurelled
any lauraceous tree of the genus Laurus , such as the bay tree (see bay4 ) and L. canariensis , of the Canary Islands and Azores
laurelling
any lauraceous tree of the genus Laurus , such as the bay tree (see bay4 ) and L. canariensis , of the Canary Islands and Azores
anomaly
If something is an anomaly , it is different from what is usual or expected.
eccentric anomaly
something anomalous
magnetic anomaly
something anomalous
Chinese translation of 'true'
true
(truː)
adj
[story, motive, feelings]真实(實)的 (zhēnshí de)
(= genuine, typical) 真正的 (zhēnzhèng de)
(= accurate)[likeness]准(準)确(確)的 (zhǔnquè de)
it is true that ... ... 是真的 ( ... shì zhēn de)
to come true[dream, prediction]实(實)现(現) (shíxiàn)
to hold true适(適)用 (shìyòng)
to be true to sb对(對)某人忠诚(誠) (duì mǒurén zhōngchéng)
to be true to sth (to idea, cause) 忠于(於)某事 (zhōngyú mǒushì)
true to form一如既往 (yī rú jì wǎng)
true to life逼真的 (bīzhēn de)
All related terms of 'true'
to come true
( dream, prediction ) 实(實)现(現) shíxiàn
to hold true
适(適)用 shìyòng
true to form
一如既往 yī rú jì wǎng
true to life
逼真的 bīzhēn de
it can't be true!
这(這)不可能是真的！ zhè bù kěnéng shì zhēn de!
it is true that ...
... 是真的 ... shì zhēn de
to be true to sb
对(對)某人忠诚(誠) duì mǒurén zhōngchéng
to be true to sth
( to idea, cause ) 忠于(於)某事 zhōngyú mǒushì
to ring true/false
听(聽)起来(來)正确(確)/错(錯)误(誤) tīng qǐlái zhèngquè/cuòwù
he said he knew, which is true
他说(說)他知道，事实(實)的确(確)如此 tā shuō tā zhīdào, shìshí díquè rúcǐ