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pathological liar

American  
[path-uh-loj-i-kuhl lahy-er] / ˈpæθ əˌlɒdʒ ɪ kəl ˈlaɪ ər /

noun

  1. a person who tells lies frequently, with no rational motive for doing so.


Etymology

Origin of pathological liar

First recorded in 1890–95

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

Federal prosecutors called him a pathological liar and swindler who falsely portrayed himself as a successful businessman and real-estate mogul with stints at Citigroup and Goldman Sachs.

From The Wall Street Journal Jun. 3, 2026

Zoning in on his career and moments such as his dramatic ousting from OpenAI in 2023, the story portrayed Altman as a pathological liar.

From BBC May 15, 2026

Yes, I’m biased against anyone who’s that uncivil, especially when he disrespects facts or — worse — is a pathological liar.

From Los Angeles Times Jan. 10, 2025

"He's a pathological liar," Parsa told the Beast.

From Salon Dec. 1, 2022

The only thing you have for measuring what’s real is your mind...so what happens when your mind becomes a pathological liar?

From "Challenger Deep" by Neal Shusterman

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