45 Idioms About Lying

Lying is something we all encounter at some point in life, whether it’s a little white lie or a more elaborate fib. Over time, language has developed creative and often colorful ways to describe dishonesty. Some idioms are funny, others are sharp, but all capture the art of deception in unique ways.

Let’s dive into 45 idioms about lying that will help you describe dishonesty in a more vivid, imaginative way!

Idioms About Lying

Table of Contents

1. Pull the wool over someone’s eyes

Meaning: To deceive someone, usually in a way that makes them unaware of the truth.
In a Sentence: She tried to pull the wool over my eyes, but I figured out she was lying about her whereabouts.
Other Ways to Say: Hoodwink, pull a fast one, deceive.

2. Cry wolf

Meaning: To raise a false alarm or exaggerate a problem in order to get attention.
In a Sentence: After John kept crying wolf about being sick, no one believed him when he actually was.
Other Ways to Say: Fake an emergency, make a false claim, fabricate an issue.

3. Bend the truth

Meaning: To tell a lie, usually by distorting or stretching the truth.
In a Sentence: She bent the truth to make her story sound more exciting than it really was.
Other Ways to Say: Stretch the truth, exaggerate, embellish.

4. Lie through your teeth

Meaning: To tell a bold, outright lie with no remorse.
In a Sentence: He lied through his teeth when he said he had no idea about the surprise party.
Other Ways to Say: Straight-faced lie, fib blatantly, deceive outright.

5. Catch someone red-handed

Meaning: To catch someone in the act of lying or doing something wrong.
In a Sentence: I caught him red-handed when I found the text messages he swore he never sent.
Other Ways to Say: Catch in the act, catch someone in the lie, expose the truth.

6. Blow smoke

Meaning: To deceive or mislead someone with false information.
In a Sentence: Stop blowing smoke, we all know you didn’t finish the project on time.
Other Ways to Say: Pull the wool over someone’s eyes, mislead, exaggerate.

7. Cook the books

Meaning: To falsify financial records or data.
In a Sentence: The accountant was caught cooking the books, and now the company is facing legal issues.
Other Ways to Say: Falsify records, cheat the system, falsify information.

8. Smoke and mirrors

Meaning: To create a deceptive illusion or mislead someone.
In a Sentence: The CEO used smoke and mirrors to make the company’s financial situation appear better than it was.
Other Ways to Say: Mislead, deceive, trick.

Also Read: 35 Idioms for Confusion

9. A fish story

Meaning: A tall tale or exaggerated story that is hard to believe.
In a Sentence: He told me a fish story about catching a fish that weighed 200 pounds.
Other Ways to Say: Tall tale, exaggerated story, far-fetched claim.

10. Tell a whopper

Meaning: To tell a big lie or exaggeration.
In a Sentence: She told a whopper about how she met a celebrity at the grocery store.
Other Ways to Say: Fib, tall tale, exaggerate.

11. Stretch the truth

Meaning: To slightly alter or exaggerate the facts in a story.
In a Sentence: He stretched the truth about how much money he made to impress his friends.
Other Ways to Say: Bend the truth, exaggerate, embellish.

12. Fish for compliments

Meaning: To try to get others to say something nice about you, often by pretending to be humble.
In a Sentence: She was fishing for compliments when she acted all surprised by her promotion.
Other Ways to Say: Seek praise, look for admiration, humblebrag.

13. Make a mountain out of a molehill

Meaning: To exaggerate a small issue into something much bigger than it actually is.
In a Sentence: He made a mountain out of a molehill by claiming the mistake was a huge disaster.
Other Ways to Say: Overdramatize, exaggerate, overstate.

14. Spin a yarn

Meaning: To tell a long and often exaggerated story.
In a Sentence: Grandpa loves to spin a yarn about his adventures as a young man.
Other Ways to Say: Tell a tall tale, exaggerate, fabricate a story.

15. Have a poker face

Meaning: To hide one’s true feelings or intentions, often used in the context of lying.
In a Sentence: She kept a poker face during the meeting, not revealing if she agreed or disagreed with the proposal.
Other Ways to Say: Mask emotions, conceal feelings, stay neutral.

16. Put one over on someone

Meaning: To deceive or trick someone, often in a playful way.
In a Sentence: He managed to put one over on his friends by pretending he was moving to another city.
Other Ways to Say: Trick, deceive, pull the wool over.

17. A white lie

Meaning: A harmless or small lie, usually told to avoid hurting someone’s feelings.
In a Sentence: I told her a white lie about liking the gift, even though I wasn’t fond of it.
Other Ways to Say: Little fib, harmless untruth, minor deception.

18. Tell a fib

Meaning: To tell a small or trivial lie.
In a Sentence: She told a fib when she said she was too busy to join us for lunch.
Other Ways to Say: Little lie, minor untruth, small deception.

19. The devil is in the details

Meaning: Small, seemingly insignificant details can reveal the truth about a lie.
In a Sentence: He kept changing his story, but the devil was in the details, and I caught him in a lie.
Other Ways to Say: Small things matter, look closely, examine the details.

20. To put a spin on something

Meaning: To present something in a way that is misleading or manipulative.
In a Sentence: He put a spin on the news to make it sound like he was the hero of the story.
Other Ways to Say: Manipulate the facts, distort the truth, misrepresent.

21. Throw someone under the bus

Meaning: To betray or sacrifice someone else to protect oneself or gain an advantage.
In a Sentence: She threw him under the bus when she blamed him for the mistake during the meeting.
Other Ways to Say: Betray, sacrifice, set up.

22. Lie low

Meaning: To stay out of sight or avoid attention, often after doing something wrong.
In a Sentence: After the scandal, he decided to lie low for a while until things calmed down.
Other Ways to Say: Stay out of trouble, keep a low profile, avoid the spotlight.

23. Take something with a grain of salt

Meaning: To be skeptical about the truth of something, especially when you suspect it’s exaggerated or misleading.
In a Sentence: You should take his story with a grain of salt since he tends to exaggerate.
Other Ways to Say: Be skeptical, doubt, question the truth.

24. A wolf in sheep’s clothing

Meaning: Someone who pretends to be harmless or good but is actually dangerous or deceitful.
In a Sentence: He seemed like a nice guy, but he turned out to be a wolf in sheep’s clothing.
Other Ways to Say: Pretender, impostor, deceiver.

25. Play fast and loose

Meaning: To act in a reckless or dishonest way, often bending the rules.
In a Sentence: He plays fast and loose with the truth, so it’s hard to trust what he says.
Other Ways to Say: Bend the rules, take liberties, act dishonestly.

26. Feed someone a line

Meaning: To tell someone a convincing but false story or explanation.
In a Sentence: He fed me a line about why the project was delayed, but I didn’t buy it.
Other Ways to Say: Tell a fib, deceive, mislead.

27. Double-dealing

Meaning: To act dishonestly, especially by playing both sides or betraying trust.
In a Sentence: The politician was caught double-dealing and trying to benefit from both sides of the issue.
Other Ways to Say: Deceive, double-cross, betray.

28. Beat around the bush

Meaning: To avoid giving a direct answer, often because of dishonesty or reluctance.
In a Sentence: He kept beating around the bush when I asked him if he took the last cookie.
Other Ways to Say: Avoid the question, dodge the issue, evade the truth.

29. Pull a fast one

Meaning: To trick or deceive someone, often in a clever or sneaky way.
In a Sentence: He tried to pull a fast one by selling me a fake watch.
Other Ways to Say: Trick, deceive, cheat.

30. A pack of lies

Meaning: A series of false statements, often meant to deceive.
In a Sentence: What he told us was a pack of lies, and we later found out the truth.
Other Ways to Say: Web of lies, falsehoods, tall tales.

31. Pinocchio’s nose grows

Meaning: Referring to the famous character from “Pinocchio,” this idiom is used to describe someone whose nose metaphorically “grows” every time they lie.
In a Sentence: He told another tall tale, and sure enough, it seemed like his nose was growing longer!
Other Ways to Say: Tell fibs, stretch the truth, lie repeatedly.

32. Fiddle with the facts

Meaning: To alter or manipulate facts in a dishonest way to suit one’s needs.
In a Sentence: He always fiddles with the facts when explaining his side of the story.
Other Ways to Say: Distort the truth, change the facts, alter details.

33. Get caught in a lie

Meaning: To be exposed for lying or deceiving others.
In a Sentence: She got caught in a lie when her friends found the receipts she was hiding.
Other Ways to Say: Exposed, caught red-handed, caught in the act.

34. Liar, liar, pants on fire

Meaning: A playful way to accuse someone of lying.
In a Sentence: “You didn’t eat the last cookie!” I yelled at my brother, “Liar, liar, pants on fire!”
Other Ways to Say: Falsehood, fibber, deceiver.

35. To have a tall tale

Meaning: To tell a story that is exaggerated or hard to believe.
In a Sentence: He’s always got a tall tale to tell whenever we meet up.
Other Ways to Say: Exaggeration, yarn, far-fetched story.

36. Turn a blind eye

Meaning: To ignore or pretend not to see the truth, usually to avoid dealing with an uncomfortable situation.
In a Sentence: She turned a blind eye to the rumors, choosing not to confront the liar.
Other Ways to Say: Ignore, disregard, overlook.

37. A web of deceit

Meaning: A complicated series of lies or dishonest actions.
In a Sentence: His story was a web of deceit, and soon everyone could see through his lies.
Other Ways to Say: Web of lies, tangled lies, web of falsehoods.

38. Stretch the facts

Meaning: To exaggerate or distort the truth.
In a Sentence: He stretched the facts about his accomplishments to impress the interviewer.
Other Ways to Say: Overstate, embellish, exaggerate.

39. Lie like a rug

Meaning: To tell a blatant, shameless lie.
In a Sentence: He lied like a rug about his involvement in the project.
Other Ways to Say: Tell a whopper, deceive, fib boldly.

40. Be economical with the truth

Meaning: To tell only part of the truth or withhold certain details, often to mislead.
In a Sentence: She was economical with the truth when she omitted key details of the story.
Other Ways to Say: Withhold information, mislead, conceal the facts.

41. Fob off

Meaning: To deceive or lie to someone in order to avoid dealing with a situation.
In a Sentence: He tried to fob me off with an excuse, but I wasn’t buying it.
Other Ways to Say: Avoid, dodge, deceive.

42. Pull the wool over one’s own eyes

Meaning: To deceive oneself by ignoring the truth or pretending that everything is fine when it isn’t.
In a Sentence: She was pulling the wool over her own eyes by thinking the issue would just go away.
Other Ways to Say: Deceive oneself, self-deception, ignore reality.

43. Shady dealings

Meaning: Suspicious or dishonest actions, often in a business context.
In a Sentence: He’s known for his shady dealings and always seems to find loopholes.
Other Ways to Say: Underhanded, dishonest business, deceitful actions.

44. A pack of fibs

Meaning: A collection of small lies, often innocent or playful.
In a Sentence: He told a whole pack of fibs just to make himself look better.
Other Ways to Say: Little lies, harmless untruths, minor fabrications.

45. To be all smoke and mirrors

Meaning: To present something as more than it actually is, often using deception.
In a Sentence: His explanation was all smoke and mirrors, hiding the real reason behind his decision.
Other Ways to Say: Illusion, false front, deceptive appearance.

MCQ Quiz: Idioms About Lying

1. What does the idiom “Pinocchio’s nose grows” refer to?

A) A person who is being truthful
B) Someone whose lies are becoming more obvious
C) A character in a book who tells the truth
D) A person with a long nose

Answer: B) Someone whose lies are becoming more obvious

2. What does the idiom “Fiddle with the facts” mean?

A) To tell the truth
B) To manipulate or alter facts dishonestly
C) To play with musical instruments
D) To ignore the facts

Answer: B) To manipulate or alter facts dishonestly

3. Which of the following idioms refers to being exposed for lying?

A) Fiddle with the facts
B) Get caught in a lie
C) Tell a tall tale
D) Pinocchio’s nose grows

Answer: B) Get caught in a lie

4. What is the meaning of the idiom “Liar, liar, pants on fire”?

A) Someone is caught making false promises
B) A playful accusation of lying
C) A serious confrontation about dishonesty
D) A literal burning pants situation

Answer: B) A playful accusation of lying

5. What is a “tall tale”?

A) A short, factual story
B) An exaggerated or unbelievable story
C) A tall person’s biography
D) A story involving animals

Answer: B) An exaggerated or unbelievable story

6. The idiom “Turn a blind eye” means:

A) To focus on the truth
B) To ignore or avoid the truth
C) To see everything clearly
D) To confront someone about a lie

Answer: B) To ignore or avoid the truth

7. What does “A web of deceit” refer to?

A) A small, harmless lie
B) A network of lies or dishonest actions
C) A lie involving spiders
D) A lie told by a professional liar

Answer: B) A network of lies or dishonest actions

8. What does “Stretch the facts” mean?

A) To tell the complete truth
B) To exaggerate or distort the truth
C) To tell a story with all the details
D) To hide the facts

Answer: B) To exaggerate or distort the truth

9. “Lie like a rug” is used to describe:

A) Telling a blatant, shameless lie
B) Lying in a subtle way
C) Telling a truthful story
D) A polite way of telling a lie

Answer: A) Telling a blatant, shameless lie

10. What does “Be economical with the truth” mean?

A) To tell all the facts clearly
B) To withhold details or tell only part of the truth
C) To exaggerate the truth
D) To avoid talking altogether

Answer: B) To withhold details or tell only part of the truth

11. The idiom “Fob off” refers to:

A) To deceive or avoid dealing with a situation
B) To tell a bold lie
C) To tell a truthful story
D) To ignore a situation

Answer: A) To deceive or avoid dealing with a situation

12. “Pull the wool over one’s own eyes” means:

A) To deceive oneself by ignoring the truth
B) To avoid lying
C) To admit a mistake
D) To try to deceive others

Answer: A) To deceive oneself by ignoring the truth

13. What does “Shady dealings” refer to?

A) Honest transactions
B) Suspicious or dishonest actions
C) Transparent business deals
D) A well-organized deal

Answer: B) Suspicious or dishonest actions

14. What is meant by “A pack of fibs”?

A) A series of minor, harmless lies
B) A single big lie
C) A group of people lying together
D) A truthful statement

Answer: A) A series of minor, harmless lies

15. “To be all smoke and mirrors” refers to:

A) A truthful presentation
B) A deceptive appearance or illusion
C) A clear and honest explanation
D) A magic show

Answer: B) A deceptive appearance or illusion

Final Word

Idioms about lying offer insight into human behavior. These expressions creatively describe how lies are often detected. Whether it’s “fiddling with the facts” or “stretching the truth,” the idioms make dishonesty vivid. They help us understand the complexities of deceitful actions.

Understanding these idioms can be useful in everyday conversations. They enrich our language and add humor to discussions. When dealing with lies, knowing such phrases can be helpful. Idioms about lying offer a fun and engaging way to talk about deception.

James tony