Belie

 WORD OF THE DAY

belie / verb / bih-LYE

Definition
1a: to give a false impression of
1b: to present an appearance not in agreement with
2a: to show (something) to be false or wrong
2b: to run counter to
2c: contradict
3a: to obscure the existence or true state or character of
3b: disguise

Examples
Martin's easy banter and relaxed attitude belied his nervousness.

"But his humble presence belies the adventurous life that brought him through World War II and multiple attempts at sailing around the world."
— Alejandra Garcia, The Sacramento (California) Bee, 21 Dec. 2020

Did You Know?
"What is a lie?" asked Lord Byron in Don Juan. He then answered himself:
"'Tis but the truth in masquerade...."
The history of belie illustrates a certain connection between lying and disguising.
In Old English, belie meant "to deceive by lying," and, in time, was used to mean "to tell lies about," taking on a sense similar to that of the modern word slander.
Eventually, its meaning softened, shifting from an act of outright lying to one of mere misrepresentation, and by the early 1700s, the word was being used in the sense "to disguise or conceal."
Nowadays, belie suggests giving an impression at variance with the facts rather than telling an intentional untruth.