Idiom
white lie
Meaning
A deliberately untrue statement which is intended to produce a favorable result; especially, one which is judged to be better than an overhonest alternative, as for example to remain polite in a superficial social exchange, or to choose one's battles.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Examples
“I told a white lie to avoid hurting her feelings.”
“When my host asked if I liked the meal, I told a white lie and said it was delicious.”
“Though he prided himself on honesty, he occasionally told a white lie to keep the peace at family gatherings.”
Examples
simple
“I told a white lie to avoid hurting her feelings.”
contextual
“When my host asked if I liked the meal, I told a white lie and said it was delicious.”
complex
“Though he prided himself on honesty, he occasionally told a white lie to keep the peace at family gatherings.”
Key words
Related idioms
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