Meaning & use
rings true
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“rings true” is a form of “ring true”.
Meaning
phraseidiomfigurative
Seems honest, believable or accurate when you hear it, because it matches what you feel or know to be real.
Grammar: Needs a subject such as a statement or story: her story rings true.
Patterns
- something rings true
- something rings true to someone
- something rings true for someone
Her account of the evening rings true because every detail matches the security footage.
Something about his apology just doesn't ring true.
The novel's dialogue rings true to anyone who grew up in a small town.
Word forms
| base | ring true |
|---|---|
| third person singular | rings true |
| past tense | rang true |
| -ing form | ringing true |
Common combinations
- rings true to me
- What you say about team morale rings true to me.
- rings true for many
- His story rings true for many people who left home young.
- ring completely true
- Her explanation did not ring completely true.
- rings uncomfortably true
- The report's criticism rings uncomfortably true for the whole industry.
- still rings true
- The old saying still rings true today.
Synonyms and how they differ
- sounds convincing
- Sounds convincing speaks only about persuasion, whereas rings true suggests a gut feeling that the statement is real.
- feels authentic
- Feels authentic is often used about art or experiences, while rings true is mainly about what is said.
- is credible
- Is credible is a more formal judgment of believability and lacks the instinctive sense of rings true.
Opposites
Word family
Commonly confused: rings true or rings true vs. comes true?
rings true vs rings true vs. comes true
Rings true means sounds right, whereas comes true means a hope or prediction actually happens.
Practice
The witness's story ___ because it matched the evidence in every detail.
Choose one answer.
Rings true means sounds believable. Comes true is for wishes or predictions, and 'turns true' and 'runs true' are not natural in this sense.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “rings true”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.