white lie
Harmless small untruth
A white lie is a harmless or trivial lie, typically told to avoid hurting someone's feelings or to smooth social interaction: I told her a white lie about liking the haircut.
The "white" suggests innocence—a lie without malicious intent.
Whether white lies are ethical or merely convenient is a matter of ongoing debate.
Trivial, harmless falsehood
- fabricationDeliberately untrue statement
- misleadCause false belief
- falsifyDistort the truth
- pretenseDeceptive outward show
deceit · misrepresentation · subterfuge · concealment · distort · misinform · half-truth · prevarication
Serving to guard
- tactfulSocially sensitive and careful
- considerateMindful of others' needs
- sparingUsing resources minimally
- mercifulDisposed toward forgiveness
kindhearted · diplomatic · compassionate · well-intentioned · face-saving · polite · peacekeeping · reassuring
Rules of polite conduct
- courtesyRespectful, considerate behavior
- mannersCustoms of polite conduct
- diplomacyNegotiation between nations
- politenessCourteous, respectful conduct
tact · social grace · flattery · compliment · excuse · pleasantry · small talk · hospitality
Moral self-reproach
- remorseGuilt for wrongdoing
- shamePainful awareness of failure
- regretSorrow over past actions
- conscienceInternal moral sense
conflict · unease · discomfort · anxiety · relief · justification · rationalization · moral dilemma
fib
Trivial, harmless falsehood
- fabricationDeliberately untrue statement
- misleadCause false belief
- falsifyDistort the truth
pretense · deceit · misrepresentation · subterfuge · concealment · distort · misinform · half-truth · prevarication · falsehood
protective
Serving to guard
- tactfulSocially sensitive and careful
- considerateMindful of others' needs
- sparingUsing resources minimally
merciful · kindhearted · diplomatic · compassionate · well-intentioned · face-saving · polite · peacekeeping · reassuring · comforting
etiquette
Rules of polite conduct
- courtesyRespectful, considerate behavior
- mannersCustoms of polite conduct
- diplomacyNegotiation between nations
politeness · tact · social grace · flattery · compliment · excuse · pleasantry · small talk · hospitality · RSVP
guilt
Moral self-reproach
conscience · conflict · unease · discomfort · anxiety · relief · justification · rationalization · moral dilemma · ambivalence
- Color Idiomsblack sheep, blue moon, green light, red flag, golden rule
- excusesexcuse, not my fault, overslept, alibi, excuses
- minor offensesminor offense, petty offense, fib, jaywalking, misdemeanor
- Social Diplomacytact, diplomacy, courtesy, politeness, discretion
- deceptionlying, fake, fraud, cheat, trick
- falsehoodslying, fib, fibbing, fibs, untruth
white liebetrayal
Breaking of trust
character assassination · slander · defamation · libel · perjury
white liebald-faced lie
Shameless, obvious untruth
big lie · barefaced lie · whopper · fraud · perjury
white liebrutal honesty
Unsparing directness in speech
harsh truth · painful truth · unvarnished truth · hard truth · honest truth
lie, white, lies, lied, whitewash, whiten, whitish, whiteness, whitened