essentially untrue

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "essentially untrue" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to describe a statement or claim that is fundamentally false, even if it may contain some elements of truth. Example: "The politician's claims about the economy were essentially untrue, as they ignored key data."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

However, this is essentially untrue, as firmly demonstrated in this work for the snail MT system.

BMC Biology

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

"Simon Singh, who was leading the charge, was just told by our distributor essentially to shove off and reminded that tweeting untrue statements about us or them is, well, libel," she wrote.

The Guardian

When a friend pointed out that it was untrue, Orwell is supposed to have replied that it didn't matter, "it was essentially true".

The New Yorker

The two men accused the trustee, Irving H. Picard, of essentially conducting a witch hunt, claiming that his lawsuit, filed in December in Manhattan, was "abusive, unfair and untrue".

The New York Times - Sports

"Untrue, untrue," he mutters.

Independent

Patently untrue.

The Guardian - Sport

Totally untrue.

The New York Times

Tragically, untrue.

The Guardian - Tech

Both untrue.

Independent

And untrue.

The New York Times - Sports

That is simply untrue.

Independent

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "essentially untrue", ensure the context clearly indicates that the statement contains a fundamental flaw, even if some aspects might appear accurate on the surface.

Common error

Avoid using "essentially untrue" if the statement is only partially inaccurate. Reserve it for situations where the core message is false or misleading.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "essentially untrue" functions as an adjectival modifier, describing something as fundamentally false. As Ludwig AI points out, it is used to characterize statements that, despite possibly containing some truthful elements, are misleading at their core.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Science

50%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "essentially untrue" is a grammatically sound and usable expression to describe a statement fundamentally flawed. As Ludwig AI confirms, it indicates that a claim, while potentially containing elements of truth, is misleading at its core. While its frequency is rare, the phrase finds usage in diverse contexts, from science to media reporting. Alternative expressions like "fundamentally false" and "basically incorrect" offer similar meanings. When deploying this phrase, ensure the context highlights a core fallacy instead of superficial inaccuracies.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

untrue in essence

Mirrors the original phrase but with a slightly different word order.

fundamentally false

Emphasizes the basic falsity of the statement.

basically incorrect

Highlights the fundamental lack of correctness.

largely inaccurate

Indicates that the statement contains significant inaccuracies.

mostly false

Suggests that the majority of the statement is not true.

substantially misleading

Focuses on the deceptive nature of the statement.

inherently flawed

Highlights the intrinsic problems with the statement.

deceptive at its core

Points out the misleading nature as a central characteristic.

factually questionable

Expresses doubt about the accuracy of the statement's facts.

a gross misrepresentation

Implies a significant distortion of the truth.

FAQs

How can I use "essentially untrue" in a sentence?

You can use "essentially untrue" to describe a statement that is fundamentally false, even if it contains some elements of truth. For example: "The politician's claims about the economy were essentially untrue, as they ignored key data."

What's a good alternative to "essentially untrue"?

Alternatives include "fundamentally false", "basically incorrect", or "largely inaccurate", depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is "essentially untrue" the same as "partially untrue"?

No, "essentially untrue" implies that the core of the statement is false, while "partially untrue" suggests that only some aspects are incorrect. They are not interchangeable.

When is it appropriate to use "essentially untrue" instead of simply saying "untrue"?

Use "essentially untrue" when you want to emphasize that while some superficial aspects of a statement might seem correct, the underlying message or implication is false. It adds a layer of nuance compared to a simple "untrue".