Meaning & use

polygraph

noun·Advanced

A device that records physical changes such as heart rate and breathing, often used to try to detect lying.

See it in a sentence

The suspect agreed to take a polygraph test to prove he was telling the truth.

Polygraph results are not always accepted as evidence in court.

A note on using this word

Polygraph results are controversial because the test measures stress, not lying directly, and can be misleading.

Words with a similar meaning

lie detector

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