little white lie
Polite minor falsehood
A little white lie is a minor falsehood told to avoid hurting someone's feelings or to smooth over a social situation: I told a little white lie and said I loved her cooking.
The "white" suggests innocence—these lies are considered harmless or even kind, distinct from serious deceptions.
Whether they're truly harmless is debatable.
Trivial, harmless falsehood
- fabricationDeliberately untrue statement
- falsehoodDeliberate untrue statement
- untruthA false statement
- misrepresentationFalse or misleading statement
half-truth · distortion · exaggeration · embellishment · prevarication · inaccuracy · misstatement · stretching the truth
Defense of location
- pretextFabricated motive concealing truth
- cover storyFalse explanation for actions
- justificationReason proving rightness
- explanationStatement making something clear
rationalization · defense · evasion · dodge · cop-out · cover-up · plea · reasoning
Guarding against harm
- tactSensitivity in speech
- diplomacyNegotiation between nations
- kindnessConsiderate, caring disposition
- compassionConcern for others' distress
politeness · consideration · sensitivity · peacekeeping · social harmony · face-saving · reassurance · comfort
Rules of polite conduct
- mannersCustoms of polite conduct
- complimentWords expressing approval
- flatteryExcessive insincere praise
- pleasantryAgreeable conversational remark
politeness · small talk · social grace · tactfulness · sugarcoating · euphemism · niceties · diplomacy
Guilt for wrongdoing
- conscienceInternal moral sense
- regretSorrow over past actions
- shamePainful awareness of failure
- confessionAdmission of wrongdoing
contrition · scruples · self-reproach · compunction · unease · moral conflict · inner conflict · second thoughts
fib
Trivial, harmless falsehood
- fabricationDeliberately untrue statement
- falsehoodDeliberate untrue statement
- untruthA false statement
misrepresentation · half-truth · distortion · exaggeration · embellishment · prevarication · inaccuracy · misstatement · stretching the truth · bending the truth
alibi
Defense of location
- pretextFabricated motive concealing truth
- cover storyFalse explanation for actions
- justificationReason proving rightness
explanation · rationalization · defense · evasion · dodge · cop-out · cover-up · plea · reasoning · extenuation
protection
Guarding against harm
- tactSensitivity in speech
- diplomacyNegotiation between nations
- kindnessConsiderate, caring disposition
compassion · politeness · consideration · sensitivity · peacekeeping · social harmony · face-saving · reassurance · comfort · mercy
etiquette
Rules of polite conduct
- mannersCustoms of polite conduct
- complimentWords expressing approval
- flatteryExcessive insincere praise
pleasantry · politeness · small talk · social grace · tactfulness · sugarcoating · euphemism · niceties · diplomacy · saving face
remorse
Guilt for wrongdoing
- conscienceInternal moral sense
- regretSorrow over past actions
- shamePainful awareness of failure
confession · contrition · scruples · self-reproach · compunction · unease · moral conflict · inner conflict · second thoughts · nagging doubt
little white liebig lie
Significant, brazen untruth
bald-faced lie · whopper · perjury · con job · swindle
little white liegaslighting
Manipulation causing self-doubt
backstabbing · character assassination · slander · libel · smear
little white liebrutal honesty
Unsparing directness in speech
unvarnished truth · painful truth · candor · honest truth · harsh truth
little, littler, littlest, white, whiter, whitest, whiten, whiteness, whitening