Meanings
- A mystery will always be solved; truth will eventually and inevitably be discovered.
Synonyms: a lie has no legs
Synonyms & antonyms
proverbA mystery will always be solved; truth will eventually and inevitably be discovered.
Origin
This phrase, which translates literally as “truth will become public”, appears as early as Lydgate’s late Middle English writings on the life of St. Alban. It is also famously found in William Shakespeare’s works, particularly in The Merchant of Venice.
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Chinese Mandarin 水落石出
- 水落石出 (shuǐluòshíchū)truth will inevitably be discovered
Finnish totuus paljastuu aina, totuus tulee aina ilmi
- totuus paljastuu ainatruth will inevitably be discovered
- totuus tulee aina ilmitruth will inevitably be discovered
Hebrew האמת תצא לאור, האמת סופה להתגלות
- האמת תצא לאורtruth will inevitably be discovered
- האמת סופה להתגלותtruth will inevitably be discovered
Hungarian a hazug embert hamarabb utolérik, mint a sánta kutyát
- a hazug embert hamarabb utolérik, mint a sánta kutyáttruth will inevitably be discovered
Italian la verità viene sempre a galla, il diavolo fa le pentole ma non i coperchi
- la verità viene sempre a gallatruth will inevitably be discovered
- il diavolo fa le pentole ma non i coperchitruth will inevitably be discovered
Cite this entry
truth will out. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/truth%20will%20out
“truth will out.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/truth%20will%20out. Accessed November 4, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “truth will out,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/truth%20will%20out.
Source: truth will out on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.