How to Get a Liar to Be Honest

Co-authored by Hannah Madden

Last Updated: July 15, 2021 References

Whether you like it or not, you’ve probably been lied to at some point in your life. If you think someone close to you is lying, it can be tough to figure out how to confront them without making them double down further on the lie. Keep reading to learn how you can get a liar to be honest and open up to you about what’s really going on.

Method 1

Method 1 of 11:
Talk to them one on one.

1
Liars are more likely to tell the truth in an individual setting. Don’t call them out in front of other people, and pick a spot where they feel comfortable. You could meet up at your home or a public park to have a chat away from other people.^{[1]
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Harvard Business Review
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- Depending on what the lie is about, you might not want others to overhear your conversation, either.
- If you can’t meet up with them in person, try sending them a text instead.

Method 2

Method 2 of 11:
Make eye contact with them.

1
Liars are less likely to lie to you when you look into their eyes. If you’re talking in person, try to make eye contact with them as much as you can. They might get squirmy or try to look away, which is a surefire sign that they’re not telling the truth.^{[2]
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- A liar might also cross their arms, shrug their shoulders, or turn their entire body away from you.

Method 3

Method 3 of 11:
Stay calm.

1
It will put the liar at ease for a more productive conversation. Although it can be easy to lose your cool when you catch someone in a lie, yelling at them probably won’t help. If you can, try to stay calm, cool, and collected throughout your conversation.^{[3]
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Harvard Business Review
Online and print journal covering topics related to business management practices
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- If you just realized someone was lying, give yourself a few minutes to calm down before confronting them right away.

Method 4

Method 4 of 11:
Start with a general question related to the lie.

1
Ease into talking about it with an innocent-sounding question. For instance, if you think they lied about where they were yesterday, you might ask, “So, how was your doctor’s appointment?” Or, if you think they lied about who they were with, try something like, “You saw Jake yesterday? How’s he doing?”^{[4]
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- The important part here is that you don’t sound like you know it’s a lie. Otherwise, they might put their guard back up again.
- If you’re texting this person, you can start out by saying “Hey,” then jump into your questions.

Method 5

Method 5 of 11:
Follow up with open-ended questions.

1
Keep them talking with questions they can’t answer with “yes” or “no.” For instance, you might say, “Interesting, could you tell me more about that?” Or, “Wow, what was that like?” The more they talk, the more flustered they’re going to get.^{[5]
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- You could also try questions like, “I’m a little confused by that. Could you explain more?” “What do you mean by that?”
- Stick to neutral statements that don’t indicate you know they’re lying.

Method 6

Method 6 of 11:
Ask something unexpected.

1
Liars often have trouble with details they didn’t prepare. For example, if someone is talking about hanging out with a friend in the afternoon, you might ask, “What’d you guys have for lunch?” This will throw them off and could make them shift their story a bit.^{[6]
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- If you think they’re lying about who they were with, you might ask, “How is Jessica doing? I heard she broke her ankle last month.”
- Or, if you think they’re lying about the timeline of events, you might ask, “Did you walk there, or did you take the bus?”

Method 7

Method 7 of 11:
Point out inconsistencies.

1
As you listen to them, notice the things that don’t add up. Maybe they contradict themselves or clarify something that doesn’t make sense. Try to point these out so that the liar feels flustered and is more likely to tell the truth.^{[7]
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- For instance, you might say, “Oh, you got there at 11? I thought you said you guys didn’t show up until late afternoon.”
- Or, “Wait, Amanda was there? I thought you said she was out of town this weekend.”

Method 8

Method 8 of 11:
Stay away from accusations.

1
Accusations automatically make a liar put their guard up. Stay away from anything like, “I know you’re lying,” or, “Why are you lying to me?” Liars are great at denial, and if you come at them like this, they’re just going to keep telling you you’re wrong.^{[8]
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- This is especially true if you’re dealing with someone who lies all the time. Compulsive liars can even lie to themselves, and they’ll keep up that lie no matter what.
- A great phrase to use is “Is there any reason why…” It sounds more like a request for information than an accusation.
- You could also try saying, “Could you explain…”

Method 9

Method 9 of 11:
Show them evidence if you have it.

1
It’s one of the best ways to get a liar to tell the truth. If you know they’re lying about something and you have proof, pull it out and show it to them. Say something like, “Could you explain this?” Let them do the talking until they cave and tell you the truth.^{[9]
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Trustworthy Source
American Psychological Association
Leading scientific and professional organization of licensed psychologists
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- For instance, maybe you have photos or videos of them somewhere they claimed not to be.
- Or, maybe you have screenshots of text messages proving they were stepping outside of the relationship.

Method 10

Method 10 of 11:
Try to sympathize with them.

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They might admit the lie sooner if they think you understand their reason. If you tell them that it’s “okay” (even though it’s not), they might be more likely to admit that they were lying. Say something like:^{[10]
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- “Are you lying to me because you thought I would be angry?”
- “Did you make that up so I wouldn’t find out and break up with you?”

Method 11

Method 11 of 11:
Thank them when they tell the truth.

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Let them know that telling the truth was the best choice. In the moment, praise them for finally telling you, even if it took a while. After that, you can decide what you want to do about the lie and what they were lying about.^{[11]
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- You might say something like, “Thank you for telling me the truth. Lying always makes things worse, so I’d appreciate it if you were truthful with me in the future.”