fib

1 of 3

noun

ˈfib 

: a trivial or childish lie

fib

2 of 3

verb (1)

fibbed; fibbing

intransitive verb

: to tell a fib

fibber noun

fib

3 of 3

verb (2)

fibbed; fibbing

British

: pummel, beat

Synonyms

Noun

• fable
• fabrication
• fairy tale
• falsehood
• falsity
• lie
• mendacity
• prevarication
• story
• tale
• taradiddle
• tarradiddle
• untruth
• whopper

Verb (1)

• fabricate
• lie
• prevaricate

Verb (2)

• bash
• baste
• bat
• batter
• beat
• belabor
• belt
• birch
• bludgeon
• buffet
• bung up
• club
• curry
• do
• drub
• flog
• hammer
• hide
• lace
• lambaste
• lambast
• lash
• lather
• lick
• maul
• mess (up)
• paddle
• pelt
• pommel
• pound
• pummel
• punch out
• rough (up)
• slate
• slog
• switch
• tan
• thrash
• thresh
• thump
• tromp
• wallop
• whale
• whip
• whop
• whap
• whup
• work over

Choose the Right Synonym for fib

lie, prevaricate, equivocate, palter, fib mean to tell an untruth.

lie is the blunt term, imputing dishonesty.

lied about where he had been

prevaricate softens the bluntness of lie by implying quibbling or confusing the issue.

during the hearings the witness did his best to prevaricate

equivocate implies using words having more than one sense so as to seem to say one thing but intend another.

equivocated endlessly in an attempt to mislead her inquisitors

palter implies making unreliable statements of fact or intention or insincere promises.

a swindler paltering with his investors

fib applies to a telling of a trivial untruth.

fibbed about the price of the new suit

Examples of fib in a Sentence

Noun

I have to admit that I told a fib when I said I enjoyed the movie.

Is she telling fibs again?

Verb (1)

fibbed and said that he had remembered to water her plants while she was away

Verb (2)

the two drunken pub crawlers proceeded to fib each other senseless

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

One fib could land him in jail with the rest of his flunkies. —Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 25 May 2024

Before her family shows up to meet this mystery man at her birthday party, can Aaliyah find the right one to turn that big fib into reality? —Lorraine Berry, Los Angeles Times, 31 May 2024

Verb

Without employers keeping workers in check, people may be more tempted to fib. —Ron Lieber, New York Times, 1 June 2024

Bob Fireman’s Wagon Wheel Carnival was a cathedral built to the glory of fibbing. —Carly Tagen-Dye, Peoplemag, 7 May 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun

perhaps by shortening & alteration from fable

Verb (2)

origin unknown

First Known Use

Noun

1611, in the meaning defined above

Verb (1)

1675, in the meaning defined above

Verb (2)

1610, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing fib

• A-fib

Kids Definition

fib

noun

ˈfib

: an unimportant lie

fib verb

fibber noun

Medical Definition

fib

abbreviation

fibrillation