Sometimes the words coming out of someone’s mouth just seem… off.
It’s not that what they’re saying is exactly implausible or ridiculous, it’s just that things don’t quite line up and your gut is telling you that they’re having you on. You’re not imagining things — more often than not, liars tend to give themselves away in pretty obvious ways. They might not come right out and admit they’re not being truthful, but the fact that they use these phrases so often tells you all you need to know.
1. “To tell you the truth…”
When someone starts a sentence with this phrase, your deception radar should activate. It’s like they’re subconsciously trying to convince themselves as much as you. This phrase often appears when someone’s about to bend the truth or tell a partial lie. Watch especially if they use it multiple times in the same conversation — that’s usually a dead giveaway.
2. “Believe me…”
This classic phrase is often a prelude to deception. Honest people rarely feel the need to ask for belief explicitly — they just tell their story. When someone keeps insisting you believe them, they’re usually compensating for something that isn’t quite true. It’s their way of trying to add weight to what follows.
3. “Let me be perfectly clear…”
This is often the opposite of clarity. It’s commonly used when someone is about to muddy the waters with half-truths or misdirection. They’re setting up an illusion of transparency while actually preparing to cloud the issue. Pay attention to what follows — it’s rarely as clear as promised.
4. “As far as I can remember…”
While sometimes legitimate, this is a favourite among liars because it gives them wiggle room. They’re creating an escape hatch in case their story gets challenged later. When used about recent or significant events that should be clear in memory, it’s particularly suspicious.
5. “You can ask anyone…”
This deflection phrase attempts to create phantom witnesses. Liars love to invoke unnamed people who can supposedly verify their story. Notice how they rarely provide specific names when they use this one. It’s a way of building artificial credibility without risking actual verification.
6. “I swear on my mother’s grave…”
Invoking dramatically serious oaths without being asked is a classic overcompensation tell. The more sacred or serious the oath, the more likely they’re lying. Truthful people rarely feel the need to attach such heavy promises to their statements.
7. “Why would I lie about that?”
This rhetorical question is actually a clever deflection. Instead of addressing the concern directly, they’re trying to make their innocence seem logical. It shifts the conversation from what happened to why it might have happened, muddying the waters.
8. “If you don’t believe me then…”
This usually comes with an implied threat or guilt trip. It’s an attempt to shut down questioning by making the questioner feel bad for doubting. It’s manipulation pure and simple, trying to make scepticism seem like a personal attack.
9. “Long story short…”
When someone uses this one mid-story, they’re often skipping over details that might expose inconsistencies. They’re trying to rush through parts of their narrative that aren’t fully developed or might contradict other elements.
10. “Not that I recall…”
This is selective memory in action. When used about significant events or recent occurrences, it’s often a way to avoid committing to a lie while also not telling the truth. It’s more suspicious when they have clear memories of other details from the same time period.
11. “Trust me, I wouldn’t…”
This combines two red flags — asking for trust explicitly and making character-based claims. It’s an attempt to use their supposed nature as evidence rather than addressing specific actions or events.
12. “I honestly don’t know…”
Adding “honestly” to a statement often signals its opposite. When someone emphasises their honesty in claiming ignorance, especially about something they should know, they’re usually hiding information rather than lacking it.
13. “You’re going to have to trust me on this…”
This is a demand wrapped in politeness. They’re trying to shut down questions by making trust a requirement rather than earning it. It’s particularly suspicious when used to avoid providing readily available evidence or explanation.
14. “I might be wrong, but…”
This false humility phrase often precedes a very confident lie. They’re setting up plausible deniability while actually planning to be quite specific. It’s a way of trying to avoid accountability for what follows.
15. “If you really want to know…”
This usually introduces unrequested details meant to distract or overwhelm. It’s often used to launch into elaborate explanations that dodge the actual question at hand while seeming cooperative.
16. “I’m not going to lie to you…”
The irony of this one is that it’s regularly followed by exactly that — a lie. It’s like a verbal tell in poker. When someone feels the need to explicitly state they’re not lying, they’re usually preparing to do just that.
