How to Know if Someone is Lying

Co-authored by Trudi Griffin, LPC, MS and Janice Tieperman

Last Updated: August 25, 2021 References Approved

Do you suspect that someone lied to you? Thankfully, you don’t need a polygraph test to get to the bottom of things. According to body language experts and law enforcement veterans, liars provide plenty of accidental hints and clues when they’re being less than honest. When you’re speaking with someone you know pretty well, think about their baseline, or how they’d normally act in a stressful situation.^{[1]
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Research source} If their behavior doesn’t seem to add up, check out this list—we’ve put together lots of signs and red flags to look out for so you can get to the truth of the matter.

Method 1

Method 1 of 21:
Breathing Rapidly

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People tend to breathe heavily when they lie. Listen to their breathing, and keep a close eye on their posture. When breathing heavily, people tend to lift their shoulders and speak in a more shallow tone of voice.^{[2]
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Method 2

Method 2 of 21:
Fidgeting or Staying Completely Still

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Liars tend to either fidget too much or sit rigidly. Take a close look at their body language—a fidgeting person might shuffle their feet, move their head from side to side, or shift back and forth.^{[3]
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Research source} On the other hand, a liar might look as still as a statue and not fidget whatsoever.^{[4]
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- In any nerve-wracking situation, like telling a lie, the body goes into “fight or flight” mode. Staying still is more of a “fight” response, which is a red flag.
- Keep the person’s baseline behavior in mind, if you can. If a person usually fidgets when standing still, this behavior might not be a sign of lying.^{[5]
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Method 3

Method 3 of 21:
Fleeting Microexpressions

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Liars tend to show emotion one way or another. In many cases, their expressions will shift for a fraction of a second—these are also known as microexpressions. Pay attention for tiny shifts in a person’s face throughout a conversation. A liar might show their real colors for a brief moment, even if they don’t mean to.^{[6]
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- For example, a liar might show a microexpression of guilt or regret while telling their story, which proves they could be lying.

Method 4

Method 4 of 21:
Darting Eyes

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Darting eyes are a big sign of discomfort. If someone just lied to you, they’re probably feeling uncomfortable, especially if you’re peppering them with questions. If a person’s eyes start quickly shifting to the left and right, there’s a good chance that they aren’t telling the truth.^{[7]
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Method 5

Method 5 of 21:
Blinking Fast

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Count how many times the person blinks in a row. While the occasional blink is expected, 5 to 6 blinks in a row definitely aren’t. If someone starts blinking rapidly, they’re probably not telling you the full truth.^{[8]
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- For reference, most people only blink about 5 times in a single minute, not in a matter of seconds.

Method 6

Method 6 of 21:
Shutting Eyes

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Count how long the person keeps their eyes closed. Normally, people blink in a matter of milliseconds. When telling a lie, they’ll shut their eyes for at least 1 second. ^{[9]
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Method 7

Method 7 of 21:
Faking a Smile

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A real smile affects the entire face. When a liar smiles, their expression may look tight or forced, instead of genuine. Think of it this way—if you see crow’s feet on a person’s face, they’re probably telling the truth.^{[10]
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Method 8

Method 8 of 21:
Touching their Face

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According to experts, people tend to feel itchy after spouting a lie. See if the person is rubbing or scratching their face throughout the conversation. If so, there’s a good chance that they aren’t telling you the full truth.^{[11]
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Method 9

Method 9 of 21:
Pursing Lips

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A person’s mouth may go dry when they tell a lie. To counteract this, they might purse their lips. Take a close look at their mouth—if their lips look tight and pinched, they might be hiding the truth.^{[12]
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Method 10

Method 10 of 21:
Sweating Excessively

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The body tends to sweat extra after telling a lie. Does the person’s forehead, cheeks, or back of the neck seem especially sweaty? See if the person starts wiping at these areas more than they usually would.^{[13]
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Method 11

Method 11 of 21:
Flushing or Turning Pale

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Both flushed or pale cheeks can be a sign of lying. After telling a lie, a liar might experience a rush of adrenaline—this adrenaline causes them to blush.^{[14]
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Research source} In other cases, telling a lie may cause the blood to rush out of a person’s face, which makes them look pale.^{[15]
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Method 12

Method 12 of 21:
Shaking Their Head

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People often nod when telling the truth. On the other hand, some people tend to shake their heads left and right when they lie. Pay close attention whenever they make a statement—If they shake their head while speaking, they might be lying.^{[16]
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Method 13

Method 13 of 21:
Gesturing Too Late

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Usually, people gesture as they talk, not after. Pay attention to the person’s hand movements throughout the conversation. If they’re lying, the person will move their hands after sharing their story, instead of while they’re telling it.^{[17]
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Method 14

Method 14 of 21:
Making Quick Corrections

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Liars can’t keep track of their stories. Because of this, they’ll probably slip up along the way and “correct” themselves. While a couple of corrections aren’t necessarily suspicious, constant backtracking and editing definitely are.^{[18]
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Method 15

Method 15 of 21:
Repeating Words

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Liars tend to repeat words for different reasons. They might say the same phrase over and over to drill it in your mind, or to give themselves some extra time to put together a good lie. Regardless, it’s probably bad news if the person in question is repeating themselves a lot.^{[19]
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- For instance, the person might say “I didn’t do it” over and over again, or “Listen to me.”

Method 16

Method 16 of 21:
Speaking Too Vaguely

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Liars tend to gloss over the details. A truthful person will remember and include the little details in a story, like what was playing on the radio, or what color the wallpaper was. Since they’re making up or heavily editing a story, a liar won’t have this same attention to detail, and will speak in a vague, basic way.^{[20]
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Method 17

Method 17 of 21:
Talking Slowly

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Liars need extra time to get their story straight. A truthful person can recall a story at a pretty normal pace, but a liar will spend extra time lining up the details and editing their story. If the person is speaking a turtle’s pace, there’s a good chance that they’re being deceitful.^{[21]
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Method 18

Method 18 of 21:
Speaking in a High Pitch

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The vocal cords tend to tighten when a person feels nervous or stressed. Because of this, if someone is telling a lie, their voices might sound a lot higher than usual. Their voice might also sound “creaky,” too.^{[22]
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- A person might also clear their throat a lot when they’re lying.

Method 19

Method 19 of 21:
Using Vocal Filler

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Listen for words like “uh,” “um,” and “like.” In some cases, liars will string their lie together on the spot. As they come up with their story, they’ll use filler words to bridge the gaps in the conversation.^{[23]
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Method 20

Method 20 of 21:
Overstating Honesty

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A truthful person doesn’t need to state their honesty over and over again. On the other hand, liars may feel the need to remind you about how “honest” they are. If they toss around phrases like “in all candor” or “if I’m being totally honest,” there’s a good chance they aren’t actually being honest at all.^{[24]
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Method 21

Method 21 of 21:
Answering Quickly

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Some liars create their story ahead of time. When you ask them a question, they’ll reply with the story they’ve already created, instead of taking a moment to come up with an answer. Pay attention to how quickly they reply—an instant answer may be a big red flag.^{[25]
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Community Q&A

Question

My sister lies a lot. How can I tell if she’s lying?

wikiHow Staff Editor
Staff Answer
This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.

wikiHow Staff Editor

Staff Answer

Pay attention to her body language the next time you speak with her. Liars tend to use certain cues and habits without realizing it, like breathing rapidly, fidgeting, darting their eyes, and blinking fast. If your sister does any of these things, there’s a good chance that she’s lying to you.
Question

How do I know someone is lying in a phone or not?

wikiHow Staff Editor
Staff Answer
This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.

wikiHow Staff Editor

Staff Answer

Call the person up, if you can. While there’s no replacement for a face-to-face meeting, there are plenty of audio cues that point to someone being dishonest, like using vocal filler, speaking in a high-pitched voice, talking slowly, or repeating phrases.
Question

What if they're a good liar and can easily cover up their tracks?

Community Answer

There is only one version of the truth. On the other hand, there are many versions of a lie. A liar usually won't tell the exact same story twice, so listen closely for any inconsistencies.
Question

Would a liar stutter a lot when they speak?

Community Answer

It's possible, but some people just naturally stutter, so you'd have to know the person and know if it's common for them to stutter or not.
Question

Will someone look me in the eyes if they are lying?

Community Answer

If they have experience yes, they may be able to stare you down unflinchingly. If they try to avoid eye contact or suddenly find the ceiling a lot more interesting, chances are, they're lying.
Question

What should I do if I know someone is lying, but I don't want to be rude?

Community Answer

You don't want the person to get away with lying if you know the truth, so politely tell them that you know that is not true. Honesty is a form of trust and kindness, and if the liar keeps saying they aren't lying, tell them that.
Question

If someone repeats their story very fast, does that mean they are lying?

Community Answer

It depends. In some situations, the person might have had to repeat this story numerous times, so they just want to say it quickly and get it done with. However, it can depend on the person, too. Everyone has some sort of sign they make when they are lying and for some people it is talking quickly. Maybe just ask if they are telling the truth, because you don't want to accuse someone of lying when they are not or you are unsure.
Question

If I ask her a question and she blinks 4 times, is she lying?

Community Answer

Not necessarily. Some people just blink a lot, or she could have something in her eye. However, it might mean that she is surprised or worried by your question, which could mean she is lying.
Question

Are sexual predators liars?

Community Answer

Of course. Sexual predators will say whatever they need to to get you to where they can take advantage of you.
Question

Do people who lie repeatedly nod their head?

Community Answer

Nodding is sometimes a sign of lying, but lack of eye contact, repeated swallowing and fidgeting are more common signs.