Lying Vocabulary
We know that lying is wrong, but we all do it from time to time! Here is some useful vocabulary related to the topic of lying.
• to lie/fib – verb: when we say something that isn't true
• tell a lie – verb + noun collocation
• a lie/a fib – noun
• lying/fibbing – gerund
• a liar/ a fibber – noun (person)
• a compulsive liar – a person who always tells lies
• a white lie – a trivial lie that is usually told to prevent us offending someone or hurting their feelings.
Jane asked if I liked her new haircut, I didn’t want to hurt her feelings, so I told a white lie and said I did.
• to pull the wool over somebody’s eyes (idiom) – to deceive someone.
So-called Psychics who claim to have paranormal or supernatural powers
are just pulling the wool over people’s eyes.
• catch somebody out (phrasal verb) – to discover that someone is lying or doing something wrong.
I suspected he wasn't telling me the truth, and one day I caught him out when I found some messages on his phone from another woman.
• honesty is the best policy (saying) – it's better to be honest than lie, even when it's difficult.
When filling out insurance forms, honesty is always the best policy.
Other Verbs Related to Lying
trick - something you do to deceive someone, or to make someone look stupid.
He doesn’t really have telepathic powers. He just tricks people.
deceive - to make someone believe something that isn’t true.
The company deceived customers by selling old computers as new.
mislead - cause (someone) to have the wrong idea or impression.
This report only scratches the surface of the various ways schools use statistics to mislead parents and the public.
betray - to behave in a dishonest way with someone who trusts you.
He betrayed his best friend of 20 years, by having an affair with his wife.
cheat - to do something that isn't honest, in order to get something.
He cheats at card games, so he can win a lot of money.
con - to make someone believe something false, usually so that that person will give you their money or possessions.
She felt she had been conned into buying the car.
dupe - to deceive someone, usually by making them do something that they didn't intend to do.
The girls were duped by drug smugglers into carrying heroin for them over the border.
misinform - Give (someone) false or inaccurate information. This could be by accident or on purpose.
Politicians often misinform the general public.
pretend - to behave as if something is true when it isn’t.
John pretended he was reading in class, but he was looking at his phone really.
swindle - to get money dishonestly from someone by deceiving or cheating them.
They swindled local businesses out of thousands of dollars.
March 12, 2019
