Phrase guide

ring true

verb · 1 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • Australia: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.

1

verb

Meaning 1

To seem to be correct, or plausible

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: idiomatic

Examples

  • His excuse about his daughter being ill again rings true, to me.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

From the sound of a coin when tested for authenticity.

Across languages

Translations

9 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Chinese Mandarin: 聽起來真實 /听起来真实 (tīngqǐlai zhēnshí) — to seem to be correct
  • Chinese Mandarin: 聽起來是真的 /听起来是真的 (tīngqǐlai shì zhēn de) — to seem to be correct
  • Finnish: kuulostaa uskottavalta — to seem to be correct
  • German: echt klingen — to seem to be correct
  • German: glaubhaft klingen — to seem to be correct
  • German: überzeugend klingen — to seem to be correct
  • Polish: brzmieć wiarygodnie — to seem to be correct
  • Portuguese: parece plausível — to seem to be correct
  • Portuguese: ser plausível — to seem to be correct