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Meaning & use

perjured

verb, adjective·Advancedlawformal

Last updated

UK/ˈpɜːdʒəd/
US/ˈpɜːrdʒərd/

“perjured” is a form of “perjure”. See that entry for the full set of meanings.

Meanings

  1. verbtransitivelawformal

    Past tense and past participle of 'perjure': to tell a lie after promising to tell the truth in a court of law.

    Grammar: Often used in the phrase 'perjure yourself', meaning to lie under oath. It takes a reflexive object: 'He perjured himself.'

    Patterns

    • perjure oneself
    • be perjured

    The witness perjured himself when he denied ever meeting the defendant.

    She was accused of having perjured herself during the earlier trial.

    If you perjure yourself, you could face criminal charges.

  2. adjectivebefore a nounlawformal

    Based on or involving a lie told under oath in a court of law.

    Grammar: Used before nouns like 'testimony', 'statement', or 'witness'.

    Patterns

    • perjured testimony
    • perjured evidence
    • perjured statement

    The judge threw out the perjured testimony and ordered a new trial.

    The case collapsed after the perjured evidence was exposed.

    He was convicted of giving perjured testimony to the grand jury.

Word forms

third person singularperjures
past tenseperjured
past participleperjured
-ing formperjuring

Common combinations

perjured testimony
The court refused to accept the perjured testimony.
perjured evidence
The appeal was based on claims of perjured evidence.
perjure oneself
She would never perjure herself, even to protect a friend.
perjured witness
The defense called the main witness a perjured liar.

Synonyms and how they differ

lied
A general word for saying something untrue; 'perjured' is specific to lying under oath in a legal setting.
false
Can describe any untrue statement, but 'perjured' specifically means false under oath.

Opposites

truthful

Word family

perjure verb
To lie under oath.
perjury noun
The crime of telling a lie in court after promising to tell the truth.
perjurer noun
A person who commits perjury.

Commonly confused: perjured or perjury? perjured or injured?

perjured vs perjury

This is the noun (the crime), while 'perjured' is the verb form or adjective.

perjured vs injured

Sounds similar but means 'hurt physically'; 'perjured' relates to lying in court.

Practice

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