Common Lies men Tell

1. “Me? I graduated top of my class.” This is a classic case of the runaway male ego, designed to present a man in the best light and impress a woman. When the lies continue into marriage, it’s not long before the truth will out. 

 2. “Of course I like your friends!” The lies to make a woman fall in love or stay in love account for many truth-stretchers. such as inflating one’s accomplishments and wearing designer clothes to appear wealthy and reveal how often they were used in their own relationships. Men were significantly more likely than women to use such deceptions.

 3.“Honey, you’re the best.” One of the most lied-about subjects has to be sex. Perhaps that’s because it’s the area where we are most vulnerable. Here again men are likely to lie. In the first rush of romance it makes sense for a man to engage in exaggerated praise of a woman’s beauty and sexuality. But “you’re the best” lies can paralyze a relationship. 

4. “No, I can’t call you. I don’t even know where I’ll be.” These are the sad lies, the ones he tells because he’s falling out of love. The more quickly a woman seeks the truth behind these lies, the sooner she can remedy the relationship — or, if necessary, end it. As one friend puts it, “I’d rather have the ax fall than slip down the endless slope of uncertainty and frustration.” 

 5. “That dress isn't too tight. It looks great!” By and large, these are the good lies — the ones that show he cares. But kind lies can be too much of a good thing if a man habitually says only what his partner wants to hear. It sets the woman up for rude awakenings. After all, if the dress she’s wearing really is too tight, has he done her a favor? Far better is the tactful truth: “I usually love what you wear, honey, but it just doesn't look quite as good this time.”

 6. “They’re downsizing at work. But don’t worry. They won’t get me.” Many men still feel paternalistic about the women they love, so they lie to spare them worry. But these lies can destroy the very sense of confidence that the man hoped to create. And they can make a woman feel she is not a respected partner in the relationship. 

 7. “Sure, I’ll mow the lawn — as soon as this crick in my back goes away.” There are few things that trouble a man more than a woman’s anger — or nagging, as he calls it — so he lies to avoid a scene. It is in “hassle-prevention lying” that men can demonstrate their greatest versatility.