vile lie

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "vile lie" is correct and commonly used in written English.
It is typically used to describe a malicious or repulsive falsehood. Example: The politician's opponents accused him of spreading a vile lie about his opponent's personal life in order to win the election.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

And yet Sarah Palin repeated that vile lie for a third time today, the day Eunice was laid to rest.

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

RICHMOND Vile, lying fiend!

The New Yorker

"They tried to confuse people with all the vile lies they told," said Manuel Martínez, a tutor at the missing students' teacher-training college.

The Guardian

Once May became famous, when real Indians came through Germany in Wild West shows May not only avoided them but defamed them as "outcasts from their tribe" who played "vile, lying roles".

The New Yorker

It read: "Reluctantly, the company has been compelled to take action against a number of individuals and organisations following online postings or articles that contained vile lies and abuse about the club, its directors and players.

BBC

The Vietnam War became a backdrop for smearing the Democratic nominee based on vile lies.

Huffington Post

This is a man who served up vile lies about Latinos.

Huffington Post

I asked Ham about these, and he said, "That is Saller's vile lies again".

Vice

I am not someone who keeps quiet easily, and he was spewing such vile, homophobic lies that my hands were shaking".

Huffington Post

I knew, without even needing to look, that those papers contained nothing but the vilest of lies, full of Satan's trickery designed to lead us away from the one true church.

Vice

"This lawsuit is a vile collection of lies and a transparent attempt to destroy the reputation and good name of Joe Lonsdale.

TechCrunch

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using the phrase "vile lie", ensure that the context supports the strong negative connotation. It's most effective when describing a falsehood that is not only untrue but also morally reprehensible and intended to cause significant harm.

Common error

Avoid using "vile lie" in contexts that are merely incorrect or mistaken. The term carries a heavy emotional charge, so reserve it for situations where the falsehood is intentionally malicious and deeply offensive.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "vile lie" functions as a noun phrase modifier, where the adjective "vile" intensifies the negativity of the noun "lie". It's used to emphasize the particularly offensive and reprehensible nature of a falsehood, as seen in the Ludwig examples.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

100%

Less common in

Science

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Academia

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "vile lie" is a correct and impactful way to describe a particularly offensive and morally reprehensible falsehood. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness and common usage in news and media contexts. While not overused, it's crucial to reserve this strong term for situations where the deception is not only untrue but also intentionally malicious and deeply harmful. Consider alternatives like "malicious falsehood" or "despicable fabrication" for nuanced expression. Using "vile lie" judiciously will ensure its potency and prevent it from becoming diluted or cliché.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

malicious falsehood

Replaces both words with near synonyms; malicious highlights intent, while falsehood is a formal version of lie.

despicable fabrication

Despicable emphasizes the reprehensible nature, and fabrication highlights the act of inventing the lie.

outrageous untruth

Outrageous emphasizes the shocking nature, and untruth is a more general term for something false.

abhorrent deception

Abhorrent emphasizes the disgusting nature, and deception focuses on the act of misleading someone.

disgusting prevarication

Disgusting highlights the repulsive quality, and prevarication is a sophisticated synonym for lie, implying evasion.

repugnant falsehood

Repugnant emphasizes how offensive the lie is, while falsehood remains a formal version of 'lie'.

loathesome untruth

Loathesome emphasizes the feeling of hate and revulsion, while untruth is a more neutral synonym for a lie.

contemptible falsification

Contemptible focuses on the feeling of disdain and worthlessness, and falsification implies an active distortion of the truth.

horrendous piece of misinformation

Horrendous emphasizes the shocking nature, and piece of misinformation is a softened, indirect way of referring to a lie.

flagrant act of deception

Flagrant suggests an open and scandalous nature, and act of deception shifts the focus to the performance of lying.

FAQs

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

The phrase "vile lie" is used to describe a falsehood that is morally reprehensible and deeply offensive. For example: "The politician was accused of spreading a "vile lie" about his opponent's family."

What are some alternatives to the phrase "vile lie"?

Depending on the context, you could use alternatives like "malicious falsehood", "despicable fabrication", or "outrageous untruth".

What distinguishes a "vile lie" from a regular lie?

A "vile lie" isn't just untrue; it's deeply offensive, morally reprehensible, and intended to cause significant harm. It carries a strong emotional charge and suggests a deliberate intent to deceive and inflict damage.

Is "vile lie" an overused or cliché phrase?

While not inherently cliché, "vile lie" is a strong term that should be used judiciously. Overusing it can diminish its impact. Consider alternatives to keep your writing fresh and impactful, especially in less extreme cases.