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

When new employee Theint (Nandar Myint Lwin) tells a white lie to cover for her after an unauthorized bathroom break, San Kyi’s face turns positively radiant with gratitude, while Teint merely winks in response. — Guy Lodge, Variety, 11 July 2026

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, 27 June 2026

His translator had prepared a white lie to explain his presence — that Gordon was an investor who was looking to buy land and also happened to be interested in the local temples. — Matthew Campbell, Bloomberg, 22 May 2026

The little white lie seems wrong, and does not discourage the gentleman from issuing more unwanted invitations. — Judith Martin, Mercury News, 4 Apr. 2026

Rhymes for white lie

• apply
• awry
• belie
• bely
• bigeye
• bonsai
• buckeye
• comply
• coxae
• decry
• defy
• deny