Collocations for truth - noun
1. what is true
ADJECTIVE
absolute,
gospel (informal),
honest (informal),
real
She takes everything she reads in the paper as gospel truth.
She takes everything she reads in the paper as gospel truth.
complete,
entire,
full,
whole
It still doesn't make sense to me—I don't think he's told us the whole truth.
It still doesn't make sense to me—I don't think he's told us the whole truth.
exact,
literal
naked, plain, simple
The simple truth is he's lost his job.
naked, plain, simple
The simple truth is he's lost his job.
pure,
unvarnished
the plain unvarnished truth
the plain unvarnished truth
hidden,
secret
the hidden truth behind the events of the last four years
the hidden truth behind the events of the last four years
underlying
awful, bitter, brutal, cruel, dreadful, grim, hard, harsh, horrible, painful, sad, shocking, terrible, ugly, uncomfortable, unfortunate, unpalatable (esp. BrE), unpleasant, unwelcome
the shocking truth about heroin addiction among the young
The sad truth is he never loved her.
awful, bitter, brutal, cruel, dreadful, grim, hard, harsh, horrible, painful, sad, shocking, terrible, ugly, uncomfortable, unfortunate, unpalatable (esp. BrE), unpleasant, unwelcome
the shocking truth about heroin addiction among the young
The sad truth is he never loved her.
factual,
objective
empirical, historical, moral, poetic, psychological, religious, scientific, spiritual
It's a good movie but contains little historical truth.
empirical, historical, moral, poetic, psychological, religious, scientific, spiritual
It's a good movie but contains little historical truth.
divine,
revealed
the revealed truth of God
the revealed truth of God
… OF TRUTH
element,
germ,
glimmer,
grain,
kernel,
nugget,
ounce,
shred
There may have been a grain of truth in what he said.
There may have been a grain of truth in what he said.
VERB + truth
know
So now you know the truth.
If the truth be known, I was afraid to tell anyone.
So now you know the truth.
If the truth be known, I was afraid to tell anyone.
admit,
convey,
expose,
speak,
tell (sb)
He was reminded of his duty to speak the truth when questioned in court.
I'm sure she's telling the truth.
To tell you the truth, I'm rather dreading his return.
He was reminded of his duty to speak the truth when questioned in court.
I'm sure she's telling the truth.
To tell you the truth, I'm rather dreading his return.
establish,
discern,
discover,
find out,
get,
get at,
get to,
learn,
reveal,
uncover
She was determined to discover the truth about her boss.
We're going to try to get the truth out of this boy.
The journalist protested that he was only trying to get at the truth.
She was determined to discover the truth about her boss.
We're going to try to get the truth out of this boy.
The journalist protested that he was only trying to get at the truth.
seek
a man on a journey seeking the truth about God and humanity
a man on a journey seeking the truth about God and humanity
guess
accept, acknowledge, face (up to), grasp, realize
He realized the truth in Adam's words.
accept, acknowledge, face (up to), grasp, realize
He realized the truth in Adam's words.
doubt
The police doubt the truth of his statement.
The police doubt the truth of his statement.
conceal,
cover up,
hide,
suppress
You've been hiding the truth from me!
You've been hiding the truth from me!
deny
Dare anyone deny the truth of what we have said?
Dare anyone deny the truth of what we have said?
bend,
distort,
stretch,
twist
Lawyers distorted the truth about the deal.
Lawyers distorted the truth about the deal.
handle
He was too fragile to handle the truth.
He was too fragile to handle the truth.
truth + VERB
be,
lie
We are examining the matter to see where the truth lies.
We are examining the matter to see where the truth lies.
come out,
emerge
Almost at the end of the letter the cruel truth emerged.
Almost at the end of the letter the cruel truth emerged.
dawn on sb
The awful truth suddenly dawned on her.
The awful truth suddenly dawned on her.
PREPOSITION
in truth
She laughed and chatted but was, in truth, not having much fun.
She laughed and chatted but was, in truth, not having much fun.
truth about
She would later find out the truth about her husband.
She would later find out the truth about her husband.
truth behind
What's the truth behind all the gossip?
What's the truth behind all the gossip?
truth in
There is no truth in these allegations.
There is no truth in these allegations.
PHRASES
an/the arbiter of truth
They claim to be the arbiters of sacred truth.
They claim to be the arbiters of sacred truth.
be economical with the truth
(= not to tell the whole truth)
moment of truth
Finally the moment of truth will be upon you.
moment of truth
Finally the moment of truth will be upon you.
nothing could be further from the truth
I know you think she's mean, but nothing could be further from the truth.
I know you think she's mean, but nothing could be further from the truth.
the pursuit of (the) truth
They were motivated by the pursuit of the truth.
They were motivated by the pursuit of the truth.
the quest for (the) truth,
the search for (the) truth
a ring of truth
His explanation has a ring of truth to it.
a ring of truth
His explanation has a ring of truth to it.
a seeker after truth
(literary)
seekers after divine truth
seekers after divine truth
a semblance of truth
the truth of the matter
The truth of the matter is we can't afford to keep all the staff on.
the truth of the matter
The truth of the matter is we can't afford to keep all the staff on.
the truth will come out,
the truth will out
(saying)
2. fact that is true
ADJECTIVE
basic,
central,
common,
essential,
eternal,
fundamental,
general,
great,
immutable,
important,
profound,
simple,
timeless,
ultimate,
universal
in search of the eternal truths of life
in search of the eternal truths of life
ancient
obvious, self-evident, undeniable
We hold these truths to be self-evident …
obvious, self-evident, undeniable
We hold these truths to be self-evident …
deep
the deeper truths that often go unspoken
the deeper truths that often go unspoken
underlying
half, partial
His evidence was a blend of smears, half truths and downright lies.
half, partial
His evidence was a blend of smears, half truths and downright lies.
harsh,
home,
painful,
uncomfortable,
unpalatable (esp. BrE),
unpleasant,
unwelcome
It's time we told him a few home truths about sharing a house.
It's time we told him a few home truths about sharing a house.
necessary
moral, philosophical, scientific
biblical, divine, spiritual, theological, transcendent
Science, like theology, reveals transcendent truths about a changing world.
moral, philosophical, scientific
biblical, divine, spiritual, theological, transcendent
Science, like theology, reveals transcendent truths about a changing world.
PREPOSITION
truth about
She was forced to face up to a few unwelcome truths about her family.
She was forced to face up to a few unwelcome truths about her family.