ring true

Related to ring true: ring hollow, on good terms

ring false

To seem or sound false, insincere, inauthentic, or deceitful. (Much less common than the opposite, "ring true.") I personally think that their reasoning rings a bit false. The actor's vacuous, overblown performance is sure to ring false for anyone who grew up in that part of the country.
See also: false, ring

ring true

To seem or sound true, sincere, or authentic. I personally don't think that their reasoning rings true. The actress's stirring performance really rings true for anyone who has gone through similar circumstances.
See also: ring, true
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

ring true

Fig. to sound or seem true or likely. (From testing the quality of metal or glass by striking it and evaluating the sound made.) The student's excuse for being late doesn't ring true. Do you think that Mary's explanation for her absence rang true?
See also: ring, true
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.

ring true

see under ring false.
See also: ring, true
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.

ring true

If something that is said or written rings true, it seems to be true or sincere. It is Mandela's argument that rings true to American ears. When I first heard his reasons, they didn't ring true. Compare with ring hollow.
See also: ring, true
Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed.

ring ˈtrue/ˈfalse/ˈhollow

seem true/false/insincere: What you’ve said about Jim just doesn’t ring true. Are we talking about the same person? His apology rings a little hollow.
See also: false, hollow, ring, true
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary
See also:
  • ring false
  • ring true/false/hollow
  • under false pretenses
  • on false pretenses
  • pretence
  • pretense
  • by false pretenses
  • by/on/under false pretences
  • colour
  • false
References in periodicals archive
One year later, Weaver's words ring true. Her portfolio of stocks posted a 19.68% return during the 52-week period from Feb.
Insurance and healthcare revival: Kiln Weaver's focus on out-of-favor industries delivered solid returns
Jane Hattatt, head of Lordswood Girls' School, Birmingham, said she could not understand why some of her school's report did not ring true.
Head furious after Ofsted inspector copies own report
Something about Beckham's booking doesn't ring true.
Barry Horne: Beckham booking sham
On the path to redemption, each is faced with obstacles that may seem implausible yet will ring true with many die-hard shoppers.
The Sistahood of Shopaholics
Of course, Steinbach's version may not ring true to many of the period's active participants.
Editor's letter
From someone who is seen as the terrorist's friend it just does not ring true and, what's more, it is highly embarrassing.
Blair's U-turn on terrorism
His suggestions for eliminating poverty through capitalism using wage supplements, asset building, and community capitalism don't ring true. They're not necessarily bad ideas, but they are every bit as unrealistic as he claims the idea of a social safety net to be.
A Poverty of Imagination: Bootstrap Capitalism, Sequel to Welfare Reform
When I realized that I had somehow committed to writing a play about homosexual love, there was a moment, which lasted probably a couple of days, where I thought, Would it ring true? because it is not a world I know much about.
Stoppard reinvents love
Kennedy, Jr.; his wife, Carolyn Bessette Kennedy; and sister-in-law, Lauren Bessette--his father's words ring true. The words and images devoted to reporting this tragedy and reflecting on its meaning are legion.
ODDS & ENDS
This statement could easily have come from the keyboard of some well-heeled, latter-day information management pundit; Wells' astute observations still ring true some 60 years later.
Successful Document Management: A Structured Approach
The unfortunate silences of the historical record have left us ill informed about such important matters, but Barnes' resourceful interdisciplinary method allows him to speculate in ways that ring true from what we know about early modern sensibilities and corporate life.
The Dimension of Piety: Associative Life and Devotional Change in the Penitent Confraternities of Marseille (1499-1792)
Even the book's notes section leaves the source authority unclear, which is worrisome, regardless of whether the scenes ring true. (They do.)
Prodigal Soldiers: How the Generation of Officers Born of Vietnam Revolutionized the American Style of War
The dancers intermingle three sorts of movement--ballet (their daily work), mundane behavior (walking or waiting, which gets them from one dance set to the next), and, on occasion, expressive response to personal interactions (some of these are the only things that don't ring true).
Washington Ballet
The amnesia portion of the story doesn't quite ring true, when she can quote Anne Frank but asks her grandmother what a concentration camp is.
Antieau, Kim. Mercy, Unbound
Some elements of the story - particularly the bit about a stash of gold coins - don't ring true. But the film is more concerned with mood than plot, and that's where the style kicks in.
The Razz: Movie reviews : Jamie is more than a classy dancer; UNDERTOW ##### 15