WHITE LIE | English meaning - Cambridge Dictionary

Meaning of white lie in English

(Definition of white lie from the Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary & Thesaurus © Cambridge University Press)
(Definition of white lie from the Cambridge Academic Content Dictionary © Cambridge University Press)

Examples of white lie

white lie
Sometimes they may get confused as to what is a white lie and what is a black one.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0
Her white lie unknowingly thrust her into a major storyline.
From
Wikipedia
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The goal may even warrant engaging in a "white lie".
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Wikipedia
This example is from Wikipedia and may be reused under a CC BY-SA license.
While his little white lie allows him the chance for a secret outing, it comes with a heavy price.
From
Wikipedia
This example is from Wikipedia and may be reused under a CC BY-SA license.
Some people, mostly children, also use the gesture to excuse their telling of a white lie.
From
Wikipedia
This example is from Wikipedia and may be reused under a CC BY-SA license.
A young woman's little white lie leads to unforeseen complications.
From
Wikipedia
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Some "white lies" are not dishonest at all, and some would be borderline cases.
And white lies at this point are entirely moral.
He takes refuge with a white lie.
From
Wikipedia
This example is from Wikipedia and may be reused under a CC BY-SA license.
I am not one of those who believe that there are three grades of untruth: white lies, lies, and statistics.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0
She is a little vain, a little ambitious, a little selfish, a little shallow, and frivolous, a little given to white lies.
From
Wikipedia
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They are often white lies that spare another's feelings, reflect a pro-social attitude, and make civilized human contact possible.
From
Wikipedia
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He is often fantasizing and imagining nearly impossible situations, and telling little white lies.
From
Wikipedia
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White lies are also considered to be used for greater good.
From
Wikipedia
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This means that falcons can not even make white lies for the comfort of others, possibly at the risk of their lives.
From
Wikipedia
This example is from Wikipedia and may be reused under a CC BY-SA license.
These examples are from corpora and from sources on the web. Any opinions in the examples do not represent the opinion of the Cambridge Dictionary editors or of Cambridge University Press or its licensors.
 

Translations of white lie

in Chinese (Traditional)
善意的謊話, 無傷大雅的謊言…
in Chinese (Simplified)
善意的谎话, 无伤大雅的谎言…
in Spanish
mentira piadosa…
in Portuguese
mentira inocente, mentirinha…
in more languages
in Turkish
in French
in Dutch
in Czech
in Danish
in Indonesian
in Thai
in Vietnamese
in Polish
in Swedish
in Malay
in German
in Norwegian
in Ukrainian
in Russian
masum yalan, beyaz yalan, zararsız yalan…
pieux mensonge…
onschuldige leugen…
zbožná lež…
hvid løgn…
kebohongan kecil…
การโกหกที่ไม่มีอันตราย…
lời nói dối có thể chấp nhận được…
niewinne kłamstewko, niewinne kłamstwo…
vit lögn…
bohong sunat…
die Notlüge…
hvit løgn…
брехня задля порятунку…
невинная ложь…
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UK
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US
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