white lie
noun
: a lie about a small or unimportant matter that someone tells to avoid hurting another person
He told a (little) white lie as his excuse for missing the party.
Examples of white lie in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
One of Yungblud’s most formative musical memories was the white lie his grandma told him that his estranged grandfather was none other than Rod Stewart.
—
Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 21 Oct. 2025
When Costco asked for a photograph, Ellinger slid into a tattoo parlor chair and turned the little white lie into a permanent reality.
—Jessica Guynn, USA Today, 26 Sep. 2025
His career sprouted from a little white lie and a big black eye.
—Jon Paul Hoornstra, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 Sep. 2025
Some secrets should be left secret, Morticia believes, but little white lie secrets should be exposed.
—Carly Thomas, HollywoodReporter, 5 Sep. 2025
While being truthful is an important value, telling a white lie can be acceptable.
—Juli Fraga, CNBC, 29 July 2025
Isn’t a white lie better than telling your boss the truth about their new haircut?
—Dmitry Malin, Forbes.com, 15 July 2025
That’s where Christine Burke’s little white lie came in especially handy.
—wendy Wisner, Parents, 14 Apr. 2025
Exhausted and distraught at his mother’s distress, one day Jan tells her a white lie: His father is on a trip to Paris, where his parents spent their honeymoon in 1970.
—John Hopewell, Variety, 30 Dec. 2024
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 21 Oct. 2025
When Costco asked for a photograph, Ellinger slid into a tattoo parlor chair and turned the little white lie into a permanent reality.
—Jessica Guynn, USA Today, 26 Sep. 2025
His career sprouted from a little white lie and a big black eye.
—Jon Paul Hoornstra, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 Sep. 2025
Some secrets should be left secret, Morticia believes, but little white lie secrets should be exposed.
—Carly Thomas, HollywoodReporter, 5 Sep. 2025
While being truthful is an important value, telling a white lie can be acceptable.
—Juli Fraga, CNBC, 29 July 2025
Isn’t a white lie better than telling your boss the truth about their new haircut?
—Dmitry Malin, Forbes.com, 15 July 2025
That’s where Christine Burke’s little white lie came in especially handy.
—wendy Wisner, Parents, 14 Apr. 2025
Exhausted and distraught at his mother’s distress, one day Jan tells her a white lie: His father is on a trip to Paris, where his parents spent their honeymoon in 1970.
—John Hopewell, Variety, 30 Dec. 2024
Cite this Entry
“White lie.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/white%20lie. Accessed 31 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share