white lie

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See synonyms for white lie on Thesaurus.com

noun

a minor, polite, or harmless lie; fib.

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CAN YOU ANSWER THESE COMMON GRAMMAR DEBATES?

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Which sentence is correct?

His boss, whom he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

His boss, who he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

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Words nearby white lie

white lead ore, white leather, white leg, Whiteley, white lias, white lie, white light, white lightning, whiteline, white-lipped peccary, white liquor

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use white lie in a sentence

The breakdown of the 114th Congress is 80 percent white, 80 percent male, and 92 percent Christian.
The Unbearable Whiteness of Congress|Dean Obeidallah|January 8, 2015|DAILY BEAST
If Congress accurately reflected our nation on the basis of race, about 63 percent would be white, not 80 percent.
The Unbearable Whiteness of Congress|Dean Obeidallah|January 8, 2015|DAILY BEAST
There were rumors of shrieks and flashes emanating from the well, and reports of a figure in white.
New York’s Most Tragic Ghost Loves Minimalist Swedish Fashion|Nina Strochlic|January 8, 2015|DAILY BEAST
The FBI raided his home in 2000 with an affidavit questioning his use of $200,000 from his white supremacist fundraising.
The Price of Steve Scalise’s Silence|Jason Berry|January 7, 2015|DAILY BEAST

But after winning 55 percent of the white vote, Duke had a database of supporters some politicians coveted.
The Price of Steve Scalise’s Silence|Jason Berry|January 7, 2015|DAILY BEAST
And she would be wearing some of the jewels with the white dress—just a few, not many, of course.
Rosemary in Search of a Father|C. N. Williamson
None other would dare to show herself unveiled to a stranger, and a white man at that.
The Red Year|Louis Tracy
One would not have wanted her white neck a mite less full or her beautiful arms more slender.
The Awakening and Selected Short Stories|Kate Chopin
That evening in the gondola, with one old and two newer friends, is marked with a white stone in my recollection.
Glances at Europe|Horace Greeley
They are ovoid in shape, and lie in pairs, end to end, often forming short chains.
A Manual of Clinical Diagnosis|James Campbell Todd

British Dictionary definitions for white lie

white lie

noun

a minor or unimportant lie, esp one uttered in the interests of tact or politeness

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Idioms and Phrases with white lie

white lie

An untruth told to spare feelings or from politeness, as in She asked if I liked her dress, and of course I told a white lie. This term uses white in the sense of “harmless.” [First half of 1700s]

white lie

Words nearby white lie

Words related to white lie

How to use white lie in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for white lie

Other Idioms and Phrases with white lie