stretch the truth

idiom

: to say something that is not exactly true : to describe something as larger or greater than it really is

He was stretching the truth to make the story more interesting.

Examples of stretch the truth in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The device’s vision capability is also sometimes spotty, and some reviewers noted that the device’s AI can stretch the truth. —Kyle Barr, Quartz, 13 Apr. 2024

John played Bill’s little brother in Scrooged and Brian played his dad Bill’s second-youngest brother John didn’t have to stretch the truth too far for his role in the 1988 Christmas classic Scrooged. —Nicole Briese, Peoplemag, 4 Jan. 2024

Naturally, tons of politicians exaggerate, embellish, and stretch the truth. —Prem Thakker, The New Republic, 29 Dec. 2022

But companies should fight the urge to stretch the truth and choose to give reasonable goals and targets instead. —Sundance Monty Brennan, Forbes, 29 June 2022

Rahim, though honest at heart, seems willing to stretch the truth to achieve his ends, and Farkhondeh is all too willing to comply. —Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 7 Jan. 2022

With these words in the opening pages of the new adventure travel book Imaginary Peaks, author Katie Ives reminds us that there have always been mythological places and destinations that stretch the truth in travelogues, back to the very beginning of human travel. —Cassidy Randall, Forbes, 4 Nov. 2021

Ruffo was known to be a storyteller, someone who liked to stretch the truth, and had a desire to impress others. —Alisha Ebrahimji, CNN, 8 Oct. 2021

Don’t stretch the truth to fit a goal. —William Arruda, Forbes, 9 Oct. 2022