If you think everyone is honest all the time, think again!
Lies permeate our lives, and idioms for lying provide a fascinating glimpse into how we articulate this universal human behavior.
Recognizing these idioms can empower you to detect untruths and enrich your conversations.
Join me as I unpack a selection of witty and insightful phrases about lying, enabling you to communicate more effectively and critically engage with the world around you.
✅ The 25 Idioms for Lying
1. Pull the wool over someone’s eyes
The meaning: To deceive or trick someone
Origin: From the 1800s, when gentlemen wore wigs made of wool
In a sentence:
- He tried to pull the wool over her eyes, but she caught on quickly.
- Don’t let them pull the wool over your eyes during negotiations.
- The company pulled the wool over investors’ eyes with false reports.
Other Ways to Say:
- Trick someone
- Deceive
- Mislead
2. White lie
The meaning: A harmless or small lie told to avoid hurting someone
Origin: Dates back to the 18th century, contrasting with “black” lies seen as malicious
In a sentence:
- She told a white lie to avoid hurting his feelings.
- I told a white lie about liking the meal.
- Sometimes a white lie keeps the peace.
Other Ways to Say:
- Small fib
- Innocent lie
- Softened truth
3. Stretch the truth
The meaning: To exaggerate or slightly lie
Origin: Origin unclear or unknown
In a sentence:
- He tends to stretch the truth on his résumé.
- They stretched the truth about how big their business really is.
- She’s known to stretch the truth when telling stories.
Other Ways to Say:
- Exaggerate
- Embellish
- Bend the truth
4. Bend the truth
The meaning: To tell something that’s not entirely true
Origin: Modern expression; metaphor for distorting reality
In a sentence:
- He bent the truth to get out of trouble.
- They bent the truth about the product’s performance.
- She bent the truth during the interview.
Other Ways to Say:
- Distort
- Falsify
- Twist the facts
5. Fib
The meaning: A small or trivial lie
Origin: Possibly from the 17th-century word “fibble-fable,” meaning nonsense
In a sentence:
- I told a fib about finishing my homework.
- He fibbed about his age to get into the club.
- Kids sometimes fib when caught red-handed.
Other Ways to Say:
- White lie
- Small lie
- Innocent lie
6. Lie through your teeth
The meaning: To lie boldly and shamelessly
Origin: First recorded in the mid-20th century
In a sentence:
- He lied through his teeth during the trial.
- She lied through her teeth about where she was last night.
- Don’t trust him—he lies through his teeth.
Other Ways to Say:
- Bold-faced lie
- Deceive blatantly
- Flat-out lie
7. Full of hot air
The meaning: To speak dishonestly or boastfully
Origin: American slang from the late 1800s
In a sentence:
- He’s full of hot air when he talks about his wealth.
- Don’t believe her—she’s full of hot air.
- The politician was full of hot air in his speech.
Other Ways to Say:
- All talk
- Boastful
- Bluffing
8. Tall tale
The meaning: An exaggerated, unbelievable story
Origin: American folklore tradition
In a sentence:
- That story about the bear was a tall tale.
- He always tells tall tales to impress people.
- Her childhood memories sound like tall tales.
Other Ways to Say:
- Exaggeration
- Fictional story
- Myth
9. Cry wolf
The meaning: To raise a false alarm or lie repeatedly until no one believes you
Origin: From Aesop’s fable “The Boy Who Cried Wolf”
In a sentence:
- If you keep crying wolf, no one will help you when it’s real.
- He cried wolf too many times at work.
- People ignore her complaints—she’s known to cry wolf.
Other Ways to Say:
- Raise false alarm
- Bluff
- Fake panic
10. Lead someone on
The meaning: To deceive someone into thinking something false, especially romantically
Origin: Origin unclear or unknown
In a sentence:
- He led her on for months before breaking up.
- Don’t lead someone on if you’re not serious.
- She felt betrayed after being led on.
Other Ways to Say:
- Mislead
- Deceive
- Play with feelings
11. Fast one (pull a fast one)
The meaning: To deceive or trick someone
Origin: Early 20th-century slang, possibly from card games
In a sentence:
- He tried to pull a fast one by faking the invoice.
- Don’t let her pull a fast one on you again.
- The scammer pulled a fast one and disappeared with the money.
Other Ways to Say:
- Cheat
- Swindle
- Con
12. Smoke and mirrors
The meaning: A deceptive or misleading explanation or action
Origin: From magic shows where illusions use smoke and mirrors
In a sentence:
- The explanation was just smoke and mirrors.
- Their marketing strategy is all smoke and mirrors.
- Don’t fall for his smoke-and-mirrors approach.
Other Ways to Say:
- Illusion
- Facade
- Cover-up
13. Bluff
The meaning: To deceive by pretending confidence or intent
Origin: From poker, where players bluff with false signals
In a sentence:
- She bluffed her way into the VIP area.
- He’s bluffing—he doesn’t know the answer.
- Don’t call his bluff unless you’re ready.
Other Ways to Say:
- Pretend
- Fake it
- Act confident
14. Talk out of both sides of your mouth
The meaning: To say different things to different people dishonestly
Origin: American English, mid-20th century
In a sentence:
- Politicians often talk out of both sides of their mouths.
- He told me one thing and told her another—talking out of both sides again.
- Don’t trust him; he talks out of both sides of his mouth.
Other Ways to Say:
- Double-talk
- Be two-faced
- Contradict oneself
15. Cook the books
The meaning: To falsify financial records
Origin: Financial slang, first used in the 1800s
In a sentence:
- The company was caught cooking the books.
- He cooked the books to hide losses.
- Auditors discovered they had been cooking the books for years.
Other Ways to Say:
- Falsify records
- Commit fraud
- Manipulate finances
16. Blow smoke
The meaning: To mislead or deceive with insincere praise or excuses
Origin: Slang from 20th-century America
In a sentence:
- Stop blowing smoke and tell the truth.
- He blew smoke to hide his real intentions.
- The report is just blowing smoke.
Other Ways to Say:
- Talk nonsense
- Distract
- Flatter falsely
17. Cover your tracks
The meaning: To hide evidence of wrongdoing
Origin: From tracking footprints or movement
In a sentence:
- He deleted all the emails to cover his tracks.
- They tried to cover their tracks after the fraud.
- You can’t cover your tracks forever.
Other Ways to Say:
- Hide evidence
- Erase proof
- Clean up
18. Lead down the garden path
The meaning: To mislead or deceive someone deliberately
Origin: British expression from the 1920s
In a sentence:
- She led him down the garden path with false promises.
- We were led down the garden path by fake ads.
- Don’t let them lead you down the garden path again.
Other Ways to Say:
- Mislead
- Deceive
- String along
19. Paint a false picture
The meaning: To present something inaccurately
Origin: Metaphorical use of “painting” from art and storytelling
In a sentence:
- The article painted a false picture of the company.
- He painted a false picture of his childhood.
- They painted a false picture to get sympathy.
Other Ways to Say:
- Misrepresent
- Distort the truth
- Lie by omission
20. Snow job
The meaning: A deceptive or insincere explanation meant to mislead
Origin: American military slang during World War II
In a sentence:
- That speech was a total snow job.
- She gave the teacher a snow job about missing homework.
- His excuse was nothing but a snow job.
Other Ways to Say:
- Cover-up
- Excuse
- Fabrication
21. Play fast and loose
The meaning: To act irresponsibly or dishonestly with the truth
Origin: From a cheating game in the 16th century
In a sentence:
- He played fast and loose with the facts.
- Don’t play fast and loose with the truth.
- They played fast and loose with safety rules.
Other Ways to Say:
- Be reckless
- Be deceitful
- Be dishonest
22. Lie like a rug
The meaning: To lie blatantly
Origin: Pun comparing someone who “lies” to a rug on the floor
In a sentence:
- He lied like a rug during the interview.
- You’re lying like a rug—admit it!
- She lies like a rug and gets away with it.
Other Ways to Say:
- Lie shamelessly
- Be dishonest
- Tell a whopper
23. Tell tales
The meaning: To gossip or reveal secrets, often false
Origin: British English, used in schools and homes
In a sentence:
- He’s always telling tales about his coworkers.
- Don’t tell tales—it causes trouble.
- She told tales to get him in trouble.
Other Ways to Say:
- Gossip
- Snitch
- Spread lies
24. Talk a big game
The meaning: To boast or exaggerate without delivering
Origin: Sports metaphor
In a sentence:
- He talks a big game but never shows up.
- She talks a big game about business success.
- Don’t be fooled—he talks a big game.
Other Ways to Say:
- Brag
- Exaggerate
- Boast falsely
25. Tell a whopper
The meaning: To tell a big, obvious lie
Origin: “Whopper” originally meant something large
In a sentence:
- He told a whopper about winning the lottery.
- That’s a whopper if I ever heard one!
- She tells whoppers just to look cool.
Other Ways to Say:
- Tell a big lie
- Lie outrageously
- Make things up
✅ 10 Practice Exercises on Idioms for Lying (Fill in the Blanks)
Fill in the blanks with the correct idioms from the list above:
- He always __________ to get out of trouble, but now no one believes him.
- The CEO tried to __________ and mislead the board about the finances.
- She __________ about being at work when she was clearly at the mall.
- That story about saving a cat from a fire sounds like a __________.
- The employee was fired for trying to __________ to cover up his mistake.
- Don’t let them __________—the ad is too good to be true.
- He tried to __________ to impress the investors, but it backfired.
- I told a __________ to avoid hurting her feelings.
- He’s __________ about his credentials—none of it checks out.
- They __________ with their expenses to look more profitable than they were.
Answer Key
- cried wolf
- pull the wool over their eyes
- lied through her teeth
- tall tale
- cover his tracks
- blow smoke
- talk a big game
- white lie
- full of hot air
- cooked the books
Idioms for Lying (Summary)
Idioms for lying not only enrich our language but also reveal the cultural nuances surrounding dishonesty.
Phrases like “to bend the truth” and “pulling someone’s leg” illustrate how we often use humor and creativity to address the serious topic of deception.
Understanding these expressions can enhance our communication skills and provide insight into human behavior.
As you navigate conversations, consider incorporating these idioms to add depth to your discussions about honesty and deceit.
Let’s embrace the power of language and explore the colorful ways we talk about truthfulness in our everyday lives.
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