WordValeperjury
lying under oath
In more detail
1. (noun) the crime of deliberately telling a lie in a court of law after promising to tell the truth
2. (noun) a lie told under oath in court
Examples
- 1. The witness was charged with perjury after investigators discovered she had lied about what she saw.
- 2. Committing perjury can result in a prison sentence.
How to use perjury
Perjury is a serious criminal offense specifically referring to giving false testimony in a legal proceeding after swearing or affirming to tell the truth. It is a formal, legal term used in courts, legal discussions, and formal contexts. The verb form 'perjure' is typically used reflexively as 'perjure oneself.'
Common phrases
- commit perjury
- guilty of perjury
- perjury charges
- perjury conviction
- testimony under oath
Synonyms
lying under oath · false testimony · bearing false witness · oath-breaking
Word family
perjure (verb) · perjurer (noun) · perjurious (adjective)
A common mistake
Learners sometimes confuse perjury with simple lying; perjury requires that the statement be made under oath in a legal context, not just any false statement.
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