sneeze on the truth
To sneeze just after somebody says something, superstitiously believed to verify or validate their statement.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“He sneezed on the truth when I mentioned the rain.”
“You sneeze on the truth every time I mention your secret crush.”
“She sneezes on the truth when I say the coffee is too hot.”
“I told my friend that the bus would be late, and she sneezed on the truth immediately.”
“My brother sneezed on the truth right after I predicted that our favorite team would lose the championship game this year.”
“Just as the chef admitted he forgot the salt, a customer at the counter sneezed on the truth, confirming the mistake.”
“The room stayed quiet until my sister sneezed on the truth following my mother's claim that we were moving to a new city.”
“When the witness claimed the suspect was innocent, the sudden sneeze on the truth left the entire courtroom in a state of bewildered silence.”
From a common Russian superstition, which holds that if one sneezes while speaking, the statement just uttered is confirmed as true. The sneeze serves as an involuntary physiological endorsement of the speaker's veracity.
- 01
bend the truth
To change or leave out certain facts of a story or situation, generally in order to elicit a specific response in the audience.
- 02
economical with the truth
Not telling the whole truth, especially in order to present a false image of a situation; untruthful; lying. Often used with sarcasm or satire.
- 03
God's honest truth
Unquestionable, absolute truth.
- 04
grain of truth
Synonym of kernel of truth.
- 05
kernel of truth
A core accuracy at the heart of a claim or narrative which also contains dubious or fictitious elements.
- 06
moment of truth
A deciding instant; the time when a test determines or makes it apparent whether something will succeed.
- 07
nugget of truth
A small amount of truth in a generally untrue statement.
- 08
race of truth
A time trial.
Last updated August 10, 2026