Veracity means truthfulness or accuracy. When someone speaks with veracity, they tell the truth as completely and honestly as they know it. When a news report has veracity, the facts have been carefully checked and accurately presented.

The word suggests a commitment to getting things right and being thorough with the truth. A witness in court swears to tell the truth with veracity, meaning they'll share what they actually saw, not what they think people want to hear. A scientist values veracity in research, making sure experiments are reported exactly as they happened, even if the results weren't what was expected.

You might encounter this word when people discuss whether a story can be trusted. A teacher might question the veracity of an excuse that sounds suspicious. A historian checks the veracity of old documents to see if they're genuine or fake.

The opposite of veracity includes any kind of distortion or carelessness with facts, whether deliberate or accidental. Someone who makes up wild stories lacks veracity. So does someone who exaggerates or leaves out important details to make themselves look better. Veracity means being reliable with the truth, which is why it matters so much in science, journalism, and anywhere else facts count.