15 Common Lies We’ve All Told At Least Once

Little white lies and false excuses are like second nature to us; it’s so easy they effortlessly slip off our tongues. We’ve all been there—the split-second decision to fabricate a quick excuse to save face, cover up mistakes, or avoid awkward situations. Whether it’s running late or feigning illness to get out of plans, we’ve all resorted to whipping out inconsequential fibs at some point. Here are 15 of the most common lies we tell, and chances are, you’ve used at least one of these.

“I forgot.”

People often use this phrase as a convenient way to avoid taking responsibility for their actions or to cover up their lack of interest or motivation. For instance, they could say, “I forgot to reply to your message,” as an excuse for not responding in a timely manner when they simply chose not to reply. While there are certainly cases where genuine forgetfulness is at play, “I forgot” is an easy go-to excuse for more deliberate behaviors.

“Traffic was crazy.”

When someone arrives late to a meeting or appointment, they might blame it on traffic as a convenient excuse. Although traffic can indeed be unpredictable and cause delays, it’s also a common scapegoat when people need a reason for being late. It has become somewhat of a social norm to blame traffic for delays, even if it may not always be entirely true.

“I’m fine.”

We’ve all tried to mask our true feelings or emotions with the reflex answer to “How are you?” We smile and tell this lie to cover our tears, bad days, and pain. It can also be a sort of coping mechanism to avoid further scrutiny or unwanted attention. A person might claim they are fine when they are actually overwhelmed with pressure or facing challenges that are affecting their mental well-being.

“I’m almost there.”

The phrase jumps right out when we’re trying to buy more time, avoid being late, or simply reassure someone that we are on our way. A common variation of this white lie is saying, “I’m five minutes away.”

“My phone died.”

Many people use this to get out of a situation or to avoid an uncomfortable conversation. It’s the perfect response when you don’t want to reply to a call or text from someone you don’t feel like talking to. Corporate workers also use this excuse when they’re yet to complete a task on time or need more time to prepare for a meeting.

“Don’t worry, it’s okay.”

We’ve given and received this common reassurance at some point in our lives, usually in difficult situations when things are not actually okay. While the intention is usually to provide comfort or prevent someone from feeling worse, it can sometimes be more of a lie than a genuine statement in reality. Imagine your friend accidentally spilling coffee on your laptop. Even though you’re upset, you most likely say, “Don’t worry, it’s okay,” to avoid confrontation.

“Just kidding!”

This excuse is perfect for when you want to retract a statement that may have been taken seriously or to soften the impact of a joke. Besides using it to hide our feelings, you can use this sentence to defuse a situation where someone may have said something that was intended to be humorous but could potentially be misunderstood or offensive.

“I’ve been so busy.”

Most times, people who use this excuse want to avoid commitment or deflect blame without acknowledging the real reason behind their actions. When they’re not interested in attending an event or hanging out with friends, they say this to politely decline. Also, they can use it to cover up when they need to meet a deadline or complete a task on time. Likewise, when someone hasn’t reached out to a friend or family member for a long time, they might use it to dodge their lack of communication.

“I have to go.”

People often use this phrase to avoid committing to plans they are not interested in. For instance, when they don’t want to stay on a call for long, they might use this phrase as an easy way to wrap up the conversation. This lie is convenient and socially acceptable for exiting various situations gracefully, even if it isn’t always truthful.

“I didn’t even see you there!”

This common lie is often told when you ignore someone who’s repeatedly trying to get your attention. Since you can’t hide forever, you hit the person with this good old excuse: “I didn’t even see you there!”

“I love it.”

Imagine receiving a gift from a relative or friend that you don’t particularly like or need. For instance, you get drumsticks on your birthday when you’ve never played the drums. In order to be polite and avoid hurting their feelings, you say, “I love it!” even if it’s not something you’re excited about. It’s also the perfect response when you’re trying out a “cuisine” your friend made.

“I don’t care about looks as much as personality.”

Thanks to social media and dating apps, our bias is obvious in the common excuse. Although we claim to choose personality over looks while reciting “beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder,” we only put our best photos online. Besides, we’re drawn to profiles with attractive, pleasing photos before considering what kind of person they are.

“That’s interesting.”

This phrase is the perfect escape when you aren’t paying attention to someone’s long and boring story and don’t want to get caught. It’s better to say, “That’s interesting” at intervals than let it be known that you weren’t listening to a word they said. This smooth lie works in many scenarios and helps us handle social interactions without hurting feelings.

“Oh yeah, I remember you.”

You run into someone you vaguely recognize from your past, but you can’t quite remember their name or how you know them. To make matters worse, they remember you and your name while you’re blank up there. The best thing to say next and save your face is, “Oh yeah, I remember you!”

“I have plans.”

This lie is a common excuse people give when they want to avoid doing something or going somewhere without giving a specific reason. For instance, your friend invites you to a party that you don’t feel like attending. Instead of being straightforward about explaining why you don’t want to go, you manufacture fake appointments on your empty calendar.