sheer lie

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "sheer lie" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to emphasize that something is completely false or untrue. Example: "The claim that he was never at the scene of the crime is a sheer lie."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

No one — not Obama, not the international inspectors — takes much solace in the declaration of Iran's supreme leader, Ali Khamenei, that American allegations about Iran's program are "a sheer lie," or in his assurances that "we consider using nuclear weapons" to be "against Islamic rules".

The New York Times

The sheer lie about their being terrorists is used to justify unjustifiable crimes.

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

56 human-written examples

Mr. Larijani dismissed the rape accusations as "sheer lies," saying the inquiry had found no evidence to support them.

The New York Times

After Mr. Jandali's story was first reported in The Wall Street Journal in August, Syria's ambassador to the United States, Imad Moustapha, told the Journal that the allegations were "slander and sheer lies".

The New York Times

"The reports in this regard are sheer lies and there has been no meeting in Cairo," a spokesman for the Iranian atomic organisation was quoted as saying by state television.

Independent

The speaker of Iran's Parliament, Ali Larijani, had already dismissed Mr. Karroubi's claims as "sheer lies" this week, saying an inquiry ordered days earlier had found no evidence that protesters detained in the demonstrations that followed the election had been raped.

The New York Times

It was partially because I did not find any major problems with the text, and partially as a protest vote against a Machiavellian opposition that spread, or at has least turned a blind eye to spreading sheer lies and allegations about the text just to mobilise the public against it.

BBC

Behind all this busy reinvention of the wheel of life, of course, sheer dread lies in wait: the fear that we're fast gaining upon that demarcation line where you stop being young and you start being something else entirely, someone belonging to a different order of nomenclature.

The New York Times - Magazine

He was playing tennis of the gods in the first set and a half but eventually succumbed to Robredo's sheer refusal to lie down.

The Guardian - Sport

And while it's true that respondents may be more willing to be honest when faced with a computer screen rather than a human voice, pollsters are never able to perfectly correct for one flaw in human behaviour that affects all these statistics – whether out of pride, shame or sheer laziness: people lie.

The Guardian

It is Krugman's hypothesis that the sheer volume of lies has saturated and overwhelmed the American public and journalists.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "sheer lie" to emphasize the complete and utter falsity of a statement, especially when countering a direct accusation or denial.

Common error

Avoid using "sheer lie" simply to intensify 'lie' without conveying the sense of complete and utter falsehood. "Sheer" should emphasize the absolute lack of truth, not merely the magnitude of the lie.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "sheer lie" functions as an emphatic descriptor, underscoring the complete lack of truth in a statement. As Ludwig indicates, the word "sheer" intensifies the noun "lie", conveying that the statement is not just untrue, but entirely fabricated or baseless. News media is a primary category where this is used.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

100%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Science

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "sheer lie" is an effective way to emphasize the complete falsity of a statement. As shown in Ludwig, it appears most frequently in news and media contexts, serving to strongly deny or contradict information. While grammatically correct, it is relatively rare, so consider alternatives like "absolute falsehood" or "blatant untruth" for variety. When using "sheer lie", ensure that the emphasis is on the utter lack of truth, not merely the intensity of the lie. Ludwig AI confirms the validity and usability of this phrase.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

absolute falsehood

Emphasizes the complete and utter lack of truth.

total falsehood

Another way to emphasize the complete lack of truth.

blatant untruth

Highlights the obvious and shameless nature of the lie.

complete fabrication

Focuses on the invented nature of the false statement.

outright fabrication

Stresses the explicit and undeniable nature of the lie's creation.

utter deception

Emphasizes the act of misleading someone completely.

bald-faced lie

Indicates a lie told directly and without any attempt at concealment.

pure invention

Stresses that the statement is entirely made up.

plain lie

Highlights the simplicity and directness of the lie.

arrant nonsense

Suggests the statement is not only false but also completely illogical and meaningless.

FAQs

What does "sheer lie" mean?

The phrase "sheer lie" means a complete and utter falsehood. It emphasizes that something is entirely untrue and without any basis in reality.

How can I use "sheer lie" in a sentence?

You can use "sheer lie" to directly contradict a statement you believe is completely false. For example, "His claim that he was unaware of the company's financial problems is a "sheer lie"."

What can I say instead of "sheer lie"?

You can use alternatives like "absolute falsehood", "blatant untruth", or "complete fabrication" depending on the specific context.

Is "sheer lie" a formal or informal expression?

"Sheer lie" is a neutral expression that can be used in both formal and informal contexts, although it is often found in news and media reports.