# polite fiction

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/polite-fiction
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

A social scenario in which all participants are aware of a truth, but pretend to believe in some alternative version of events to avoid conflict or embarrassment.

## Examples

- We maintain a polite fiction that the meeting was a success.
- Everyone knew the boss was fired, but they kept up a polite fiction that he had simply retired.
- The diplomatic team relied on a polite fiction to ignore the obvious tensions, allowing the negotiations to continue without an immediate collapse.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.