out of whole cloth

phrase

US, informal
: in order to trick someone into believing what is not true
He would make up stories out of whole cloth just to stir up trouble.

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Cite this Entry

“Out of whole cloth.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/out%20of%20whole%20cloth. Accessed 13 Mar. 2026.

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