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⇱ TRUE Definition & Meaning | Dictionary.com


true

American  
[troo] / tru /

adjective

truer, truest
  1. being in accordance with the actual state or conditions; conforming to reality or fact; not false.

    a true story.

    Synonyms:
    veracious, factual
  2. real; genuine; authentic.

    true gold; true feelings.

  3. sincere; not deceitful.

    a true interest in someone's welfare.

    Synonyms:
    honest
  4. firm in allegiance; loyal; faithful; steadfast.

    a true friend.

    Synonyms:
    steady, constant, staunch, trustworthy
  5. being or reflecting the essential or genuine character of something.

    the true meaning of his statement.

  6. conforming to or consistent with a standard, pattern, or the like.

    a true copy.

  7. exact; precise; accurate; correct.

    a true balance.

    Synonyms:
    faithful
  8. of the right kind; such as it should be; proper.

    to arrange things in their true order.

  9. properly so called; rightly answering to a description.

    true statesmanship.

  10. legitimate or rightful.

    the true heir.

  11. reliable, unfailing, or sure.

    a true sign.

  12. exactly or accurately shaped, formed, fitted, or placed, as a surface, instrument, or part of a mechanism.

  13. honest; honorable; upright.

  14. Biology. conforming to the type, norm, or standard of structure of a particular group; typical.

    The lion is a true cat.

  15. Animal Husbandry. purebred.

  16. Navigation. (of a bearing, course, etc.) determined in relation to true north.

  17. Archaic. truthful.


noun

  1. exact or accurate formation, position, or adjustment.

    to be out of true.

  2. the true, something that is true; truth.

adverb

  1. in a true manner; truly; truthfully.

  2. exactly or accurately.

  3. in conformity with the ancestral type.

    to breed true.

verb (used with object)

trued, truing, trueing
  1. to make true; shape, adjust, place, etc., exactly or accurately.

    to true the wheels of a bicycle after striking a pothole.

  2. (especially in carpentry) to make even, symmetrical, level, etc. (often followed byup ).

    to true up the sides of a door.

idioms

  1. come true, to have the expected or hoped-for result; become a reality.

    She couldn't believe that her dream would ever come true.

true British  
/ truː /

adjective

  1. not false, fictional, or illusory; factual or factually accurate; conforming with reality

  2. (prenominal) being of real or natural origin; genuine; not synthetic

    true leather

    1. unswervingly faithful and loyal to friends, a cause, etc

      a true follower

    2. ( as collective noun ; preceded by the )

      the loyal and the true

  3. faithful to a particular concept of truth, esp of religious truth

    a true believer

  4. conforming to a required standard, law, or pattern

    a true aim

    a true fit

  5. exactly in tune

    a true note

  6. (of a compass bearing) according to the earth's geographical rather than magnetic poles

    true north

  7. biology conforming to the typical structure of a designated type

    sphagnum moss is a true moss, Spanish moss is not

  8. physics not apparent or relative; taking into account all complicating factors Compare apparent

    the true expansion of a liquid takes into account the expansion of the container

  9. informal unbelievable; remarkable

    she's got so much money it's not true

  10. exactly comparable with reality

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

noun

  1. correct alignment (esp in the phrases in true, out of true )

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

adverb

  1. truthfully; rightly

  2. precisely or unswervingly

    he shot true

  3. biology without variation from the ancestral type

    to breed true

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

verb

  1. (tr) to adjust so as to make true

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
true More Idioms  

    More idioms and phrases containing true


Related Words

See real 1.

Other Word Forms

  • half-true adjective
  • trueness noun

Etymology

Origin of true

before 900; Middle English trewe (adj. and adv.), Old English trēowe (adj.) loyal, trusty, honest ( trow, truce ); akin to Dutch trouw, German treu, Old Norse tryggr, Gothic triggws

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

It's true that an element of luck can enter into the equation, but the same would inevitably be true whatever the rules were.

From BBC • Apr. 7, 2026

Treating noise as a simple blur can lead to unrealistic expectations about the true capabilities of quantum computing.

From Science Daily • Apr. 6, 2026

Not true — the Pew Research Center found 32 countries that have standards just like ours, while at least 50 others allow people born within their borders to become citizens if they meet certain criteria.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 4, 2026

That’s true, but the volatility of the public funds has led to big pricing disparities between private and public funds.

From Barron's • Apr. 3, 2026

I smiled and laughed and felt like I’d found some true friends.

From "Code Name Kingfisher" by Liz Kessler

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.