It’s hard to recognize a lie when it’s buried behind a cheerful smile and easy conversation. But some words tell us more than the speaker realizes. There are certain words and phrases people use to hide the truth, either to avoid a difficult conversation, to conceal a mistake or to protect their reputation. These phrases might sound innocent, even polite, but are actually signs of cheating. Knowing these phrases can teach you how to notice when a person is not entirely honest. This is a list of 10 words people say when they’re lying in front of you.
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“I Swear to God”
When people say this, they are trying to add weight to their words. They want you to believe them because they’re “swearing”. But honest people don’t really need to make such big declarations. They just say what happened without having to call on a higher power to make it sound real.
“To Be Honest…”
Someone who starts out with “To be honest,” can mean the complete opposite. It’s as if they’re telling you what they’re about to say isn’t entirely true. Truthful people rarely need to claim that they’re being honest — they just are.
“Why Would I Lie?”
This is a defensive reaction, to make you feel bad for thinking they’d tell a lie. It blames you for being suspicious of them rather than dealing with whether or not they’re telling the truth. When someone is sincere, they’ll just explain, not question your trust.
“I’m Telling You the Truth”
If they keep on insisting that they are not lying, that sounds like they are trying too hard. If they are being honest, they will care more about details or facts. They won’t be too focused on convincing you that they are being honest.
“I Was Just Kidding”
The phrase is often thrown around when someone has lied to you or said something they regret. They make it a joke in order to avoid responsibility and tell you that you got it wrong. This can make you question yourself, even if you were right to suspect something wasn’t true.
“I Forgot”
People actually forget things all the time. But it’s also an easy way to hide the truth. It’s easy to mutter “I forgot” because you don’t want to say that you never intended to do something, or cover up something you don’t want to say.
“Everyone Knows That”
When someone says, “Everyone knows that,” they’re trying to make it seem like what they’re saying is common knowledge. They want you to go along with it because it feels safer to agree with what “everyone” supposedly knows. But this often hides a lie — they’re trying to use fake group support to make their story seem more believable.
“I Would Never Lie to You’
This sentence is supposed to be comforting. But it can actually do the exact opposite. People who wouldn’t lie don’t feel the need to say it out loud. And they might be hiding behind the words, ‘would never lie,’ when they are actually lying.
“Trust Me”
Honest people don’t need to say anything to get your trust. They can win you over with their actions. When someone says “Trust me”, it’s usually because they know they’ve not been really frank. They’re trying to get you to believe them without giving you real reasons to trust them.
“You’re Overthinking It”
This is a phrase that can make you sound overly critical or skeptical. But sometimes, people use it to get you to back down and stop asking questions. If a person is being honest, he or she will usually explain things rather than telling you not to worry.
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