Truth vs. True: What's the Difference?
Edited by Harlon Moss || By Janet White || Updated on October 4, 2023
"Truth" is a noun referring to the quality or state of being true, whereas "True" is an adjective indicating conformity with fact or reality.
Key Differences
"Truth" and "True" both revolve around the concept of reality and accuracy, but they belong to different parts of speech. While "Truth" is a noun denoting the actual state of things, "True" serves as an adjective, describing the quality or state of being accurate.
In discourse, when we refer to "Truth", we often allude to a fact or a reality that is unchanging and absolute. On the other hand, when we employ "True" as an adjective, we're verifying or confirming the validity of a statement, answer, or situation.
Consider the judicial system, for instance. When taking an oath, witnesses swear to tell "the truth", implying the complete and unaltered facts. Meanwhile, the statement they give can be labeled as "true" if it aligns with factual reality.
"Truth" can symbolize a higher or profound understanding, as in philosophical or spiritual contexts. Philosophers may search for the "truth" about existence. In contrast, "True" might be more mundane, like confirming if a statement is "true" or false.
Finally, while "Truth" is often considered more objective and overarching, "True" can sometimes bear a subjective tone. One might say, "It's true for me," indicating personal truth or belief, whereas "Truth" generally carries a universal implication.
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Comparison Chart
Part of Speech
Noun
Adjective
Definition
The quality or state of being true.
In accordance with fact or reality.
Usage in a Sentence
Used as the subject or object.
Describes nouns, answering "what kind?"
Depth of Meaning
Often seen as objective or universal.
Can be subjective depending on context.
Typical Context
Philosophy, justice system, profound concepts.
Everyday situations, confirmations, descriptions.
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Truth and True Definitions
Truth
The actual state of a matter.
The Truth of the situation was far different from rumors.
True
Genuine, not fake.
Her love for the art is True.
Truth
The property of being in accord with fact or reality.
We must seek the Truth behind these events.
True
Consistent with fact or reality; not false or erroneous
The true cost.
Truth
Conformity to fact or actuality
Does this story have any truth?.
True
Not counterfeit; real or genuine
True gold.
Truth
Reality; actuality
In truth, he was not qualified for the job.
True
Conforming to the characteristics or criteria of a group or type; typical
A true crab.
A true gentleman.
Truth
The reality of a situation
The truth is, she respects your work.
True
Properly called
True value.
Truth
A statement proven to be or accepted as true
Truths about nature.
True
Reliable; accurate
A true prophecy.
Truth
Such statements considered as a group
Researchers in pursuit of truth.
True
Faithful, as to a friend, vow, or cause; loyal.
Truth
Sincerity; integrity
The truth of his intentions.
True
(Archaic) Truthful, honest, or trustworthy.
Truth
Fidelity to an original or standard
The truth of the copy.
True
Sincerely felt or expressed; unfeigned
True grief.
Truth
Theology & Philosophy That which is considered to be the ultimate ground of reality.
True
Rightful; legitimate
The true heir.
Truth
(Logic) The positive (true) truth-value.
True
Exactly conforming to a rule, standard, or pattern
Trying to sing true B.
Truth
True facts, genuine depiction or statements of reality.
The truth is that our leaders knew a lot more than they were letting on.
True
Accurately shaped, fitted, or placed
Are the wheels true?.
Truth
Conformity to fact or reality; correctness, accuracy.
There was some truth in his statement that he had no other choice.
True
Determined with reference to the earth's axis, not the magnetic poles
True north.
Truth
The state or quality of being true to someone or something.
Truth to one's own feelings is all-important in life.
True
Quick and exact in sensing and responding
A true ear.
Truth
(archaic) Faithfulness, fidelity.
True
(Computers) Indicating one of two possible values taken by a variable in Boolean logic or a binary device.
Truth
(obsolete) A pledge of loyalty or faith.
True
In accord with reality, fact, or truthfulness.
Truth
Conformity to rule; exactness; close correspondence with an example, mood, model, etc.
True
Unswervingly; exactly
The archer aimed true.
Truth
That which is real, in a deeper sense; spiritual or ‘genuine’ reality.
The truth is what is.
Alcoholism and redemption led me finally to truth.
True
So as to conform to a type, standard, or pattern.
Truth
(countable) Something acknowledged to be true; a true statement or axiom.
Hunger and jealousy are just eternal truths of human existence.
True
To position (something) so as to make it balanced, level, or square
Trued up the long planks.
Truth
Topness; the property of a truth quark.
True
Truth or reality. Used with the.
Truth
(games) In the game truth or dare, the choice to truthfully answer a question put forth.
When asked truth or dare, he picked truth.
True
Proper alignment or adjustment
Out of true.
Truth
To assert as true; to declare; to speak truthfully.
True
(of a statement) Conforming to the actual state of reality or fact; factually correct.
This is a true story.
Truth
To make exact; to correct for inaccuracy.
True
As an ellipsis of "(while) it is true (that)", used to start a sentence
True, I have only read part of the book, but I like it so far.
Truth
To tell the truth.
True
Conforming to a rule or pattern; exact; accurate.
A true copy;
A true likeness of the original
Truth
The quality or being true; as: - (a) Conformity to fact or reality; exact accordance with that which is, or has been; or shall be.
True
(logic) Of the state in Boolean logic that indicates an affirmative or positive result.
"A and B" is true if and only if "A" is true and "B" is true.
Truth
Conformity to rule; exactness; close correspondence with an example, mood, object of imitation, or the like.
Plows, to go true, depend much on the truth of the ironwork.
True
Loyal, faithful.
He’s turned out to be a true friend.
Truth
That which is true or certain concerning any matter or subject, or generally on all subjects; real state of things; fact; verity; reality.
Speak ye every man the truth to his neighbor.
I long to know the truth here of at large.
The truth depends on, or is only arrived at by, a legitimate deduction from all the facts which are truly material.
True
Genuine; legitimate, valid.
This is true Parmesan cheese.
The true king has returned!
Truth
Fidelity; constancy; steadfastness; faithfulness.
Alas! they had been friends in youth,But whispering tongues can poison truth.
True
Used in the designation of group of species, or sometimes a single species, to indicate that it belongs to the clade its common name (which may be more broadly scoped in common speech) is restricted to in technical speech, or to distinguish it from a similar species, the latter of which may be called false.
True spiders
Truth
A true thing; a verified fact; a true statement or proposition; an established principle, fixed law, or the like; as, the great truths of morals.
Even so our boasting . . . is found a truth.
True
Accurate; following a path toward the target.
Truth
The practice of speaking what is true; freedom from falsehood; veracity.
If this will not suffice, it must appearThat malice bears down truth.
True
(of a mechanical part) Correctly aligned or calibrated, without deviation.
Is my bike wheel true? It feels unsteady.
Truth
Righteousness; true religion.
Grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.
Sanctify them through thy truth; thy word is truth.
He that doeth truth cometh to the light.
True
Fair, unbiased, not loaded.
Truth
To assert as true; to declare.
Had they [the ancients] dreamt this, they would have truthed it heaven.
True
(of a literary genre) based on actual historical events.
Truth
A fact that has been verified;
At last he knew the truth
The truth is the he didn't want to do it
True
(of shooting, throwing etc) Accurately.
This gun shoots true.
Truth
Conformity to reality or actuality;
They debated the truth of the proposition
The situation brought home to us the blunt truth of the military threat
He was famous for the truth of his portraits
He turned to religion in his search for eternal verities
True
(archaic) Truthfully.
Truth
A true statement;
He told the truth
He thought of answering with the truth but he knew they wouldn't believe it
True
(uncountable) The state of being in alignment.
Truth
The quality of nearness to the truth or the true value;
He was beginning to doubt the accuracy of his compass
The lawyer questioned the truth of my account
True
Truth.
Truth
United States abolitionist and feminist who was freed from slavery and became a leading advocate of the abolition of slavery and for the rights of women (1797-1883)
True
A pledge or truce.
Truth
Facts or reality presented as a concept.
She always speaks the Truth.
True
To straighten (of something that is supposed to be straight).
He trued the spokes of the bicycle wheel.
Truth
An accepted or believed fact.
The Truth is, everyone makes mistakes.
True
To make even, level, symmetrical, or accurate, align; adjust.
We spent all night truing up the report.
Truth
The body of real things, events, or facts.
He tried to separate myth from Truth.
True
Conformable to fact; in accordance with the actual state of things; correct; not false, erroneous, inaccurate, or the like; as, a true relation or narration; a true history; a declaration is true when it states the facts.
True
Right to precision; conformable to a rule or pattern; exact; accurate; as, a true copy; a true likeness of the original.
Making his eye, foot, and hand keep true time.
True
Steady in adhering to friends, to promises, to a prince, or the like; unwavering; faithful; loyal; not false, fickle, or perfidious; as, a true friend; a wife true to her husband; an officer true to his charge.
Thy so true,So faithful, love unequaled.
Dare to be true: nothing can need a lie.
True
Actual; not counterfeit, adulterated, or pretended; genuine; pure; real; as, true balsam; true love of country; a true Christian.
The true light which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.
True ease in writing comes from art, not chance.
True
Genuine; real; not deviating from the essential characters of a class; as, a lizard is a true reptile; a whale is a true, but not a typical, mammal.
True
In accordance with truth; truly.
True
Proper alignment; the property possessed by something that is in correct or proper alignment;
Out of true
True
Make level, square, balanced, or concentric;
True up the cylinder of an engine
True
Consistent with fact or reality; not false;
The story is true
It is undesirable to believe a proposition when there is no ground whatever for supposing it true
The true meaning of the statement
True
Not synthetic or spurious; of real or natural origin;
Real mink
True gold
True
Conforming to definitive criteria;
The horseshoe crab is not a true crab
Pythagoras was the first true mathematician
True
Accurately placed or thrown;
His aim was true
He was dead on target
True
Devoted (sometimes fanatically) to a cause or concept or truth;
True believers bonded together against all who disagreed with them
True
Expressing or given to expressing the truth;
A true statement
Gave truthful testimony
A truthful person
True
Worthy of being depended on;
A dependable worker
An honest working stiff
A reliable source of information
He was true to his word
I would be true for there are those who trust me
True
Not pretended; sincerely felt or expressed;
Genuine emotion
Her interest in people was unfeigned
True grief
True
Rightly so called;
True courage
A spirit which true men have always admired
A true friend
True
Determined with reference to the earth's axis rather than the magnetic poles;
True north is geographic north
True
Having a legally established claim;
The legitimate heir
The true and lawful king
True
In tune; accurate in pitch;
A true note
True
Accurately fitted; level;
The window frame isn't quite true
True
Reliable as a basis for action;
A true prophesy
True
As acknowledged;
True, she is the smartest in her class
True
Being in accordance with the actual state of affairs.
The story is True.
True
Loyal or faithful.
He is a True friend.
True
Accurate or exact.
His aim was True.
True
Consistent with a certain standard or regular pattern.
The device must be calibrated to its True north.
FAQs
Is "True" only used to describe statements?
No, "True" can describe various nouns, from statements to directions, like "True north".
Does "Truth" only refer to factual information?
No, "Truth" can also represent deeper philosophical or spiritual concepts.
Can something be "True" for one person and not another?
Yes, "True" can be subjective; a belief might be "True" for one person but not another.
Can "Truth" be used in a plural form?
Yes, "Truths" can refer to multiple facts or realities.
Is a "True story" the same as a "Truth"?
A "True story" is based on real events, but its portrayal might have fictional elements. "Truth" implies unaltered facts.
How do I know if a statement is "True"?
Verifying evidence or reliable sources can help determine if a statement is "True".
Can "True" also mean loyal?
Yes, "True" can describe someone who is loyal, as in a "True friend".
Can "True" describe a direction?
Yes, as in "True north", which refers to the geographical North Pole.
Is "Truth" always absolute?
While "Truth" often refers to absolute facts, it can be subjective based on perspective or context.
How do "Truth" and "Fact" differ?
While both imply reality, "Truth" can be broader or more philosophical, while "Fact" is more specific and verifiable.
How do you determine the "Truth" in a debate?
Through evidence, logic, reliable sources, and objective reasoning.
What's the opposite of "Truth"?
The opposite of "Truth" is often considered to be "Falsehood" or "Lie".
How do "Truth" and "Honesty" relate?
"Truth" is about factual accuracy, while "Honesty" is about being truthful, sincere, or free from deceit.
Can a statement be "True" but not factual?
Yes, a statement might be "True" to someone's perception or belief without being an objective fact.
Can we ever know the complete "Truth"?
While we can know factual truths, some philosophical or existential truths might remain elusive.
Do all cultures perceive "Truth" the same way?
Perceptions of "Truth" can vary across cultures, influenced by beliefs, values, and history.
Can "Truth" be biased?
Presentation of "Truth" can be biased, but truth itself is objective. Perception of what's true can vary.
Is a "True color" the actual color?
"True color" refers to the actual or genuine color of something, uninfluenced by surrounding light or perception.
Is there a difference between "True love" and genuine love?
Both terms imply authenticity, but "True love" often carries a sense of destiny or profound connection.
Can fiction reveal a "Truth"?
Yes, fiction can highlight universal truths or insights about human nature, society, or life.
About Author
Written by
Janet WhiteJanet White has been an esteemed writer and blogger for Difference Wiki. Holding a Master's degree in Science and Medical Journalism from the prestigious Boston University, she has consistently demonstrated her expertise and passion for her field. When she's not immersed in her work, Janet relishes her time exercising, delving into a good book, and cherishing moments with friends and family.
Edited by
Harlon MossHarlon is a seasoned quality moderator and accomplished content writer for Difference Wiki. An alumnus of the prestigious University of California, he earned his degree in Computer Science. Leveraging his academic background, Harlon brings a meticulous and informed perspective to his work, ensuring content accuracy and excellence.
