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13 Signs You’re Dealing With a Liar

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Photo: Joseph Greve on Unsplash

We’ve all met people who don’t tell the truth, but some are better at hiding it than others. I’ve seen how skilled liars can manipulate situations, twist things, and make you question your own judgment. The good news is that their behavior often leaves clues if you know what to look for.

Liars often give themselves away through their body language, reactions, and inconsistencies in their stories.

Whether they avoid eye contact, get overly defensive, or fidget too much, these subtle signs can reveal when someone isn’t being honest.

If you suspect someone is lying to you, pay attention to these behaviors, they might confirm what your gut’s already telling you.

Why listen to me? I’m Sira Mas and I’m a relationship coach. I write about self-improvement, love, dating and psychology. My work has been featured on large publications such as Mamamia, Plenty of Fish, Ladders, Entrepreneur and Thrive Global.

If You Ask Them a Question, They Repeat the Question and Become Nervous

One of the easiest ways to spot a liar is by how they respond when you ask a simple question. Instead of answering right away, they may repeat the question back to you. This gives them extra time to come up with a believable answer.

For example, if you ask them something like, “Where were you last night?” they’ll probably say something like “Where was I last night?” it’s often a sign they are taking their time to formulate their answer…well, their lie.

People who are telling the truth usually answer without hesitation because they don’t have to think too hard about it.

While this sign alone doesn’t mean someone is lying, pay attention, if they also seem more nervous than usual, it might mean they’re hiding something. Especially if you see other signs mentioned later in this article.

They Give You Inconsistent Information

People who have dealth with liars know this very well.

Liars struggle to keep track of their own lies. They might tell you one thing today and something completely different tomorrow.

For example, they may say they were with a friend on a specific day, but later claim they were home alone. When you point out the contradiction, they might act confused, backtrack, or get defensive.

They’ll probably try to twist things or gaslight you.

For example, they might say, “Oh yeah, I was with a friend after lunch, but then I went back home.”

Truthful people are consistent because they don’t have to remember a made-up story. If you notice that someone keeps changing details or giving you conflicting versions of events, it’s a strong sign they aren’t being honest with you.

Deep Down, What They Say Doesn’t Make Much Sense to You

Sometimes, a lie doesn’t sound wrong logically, but something about it just doesn’t sit right. Sounds familiar?

You might not have concrete proof, but your gut tells you something is off.

For example, they may tell a story that seems too convenient, overly dramatic, or just slightly off in a way that you can’t explain. Maybe the timeline doesn’t add up, or their excuse feels forced.

Your intuition could be right. If their words don’t match their body language or if something feels unnatural about their story, don’t ignore that feeling.

A well told lie can still leave clues if you listen closely. Pay attention to the other signs.

They Avoid Eye Contact…Or Overcompensate With Too Much Eye Contact

Body language can reveal a lot about a person’s honesty. Some liars avoid eye contact because they feel guilty or uncomfortable.

Others, knowing that lack of eye contact is suspicious, will go to the opposite extreme and stare too intensely in an attempt to seem convincing.

A natural, truthful conversation involves normal eye contact, occasional breaks, looking around while thinking, and returning to eye contact naturally. If someone seems overly stiff, avoids looking at you, or stares too hard, it could mean they’re lying.

They Get Defensive When You Ask Simple Questions

When someone’s being honest, they don’t feel threatened by normal questions. But a liar will overreact and get defensive, acting as if you’ve accused them of something serious when you’ve only asked a simple question.

For example, if you ask, “Did you talk to them today?” and they immediately respond with something like “Why are you asking me that? Do you think I did something wrong?” it could be a sign they are covering something up.

A truthful person will usually just answer the question without getting angry or turning the blame onto you.

They Over-Explain or Add Unnecessary Details

Liars tend to give too many details. Instead of answering a simple question directly, they ramble on, adding extra information that wasn’t necessary.

For example, instead of just saying, “I was at the store,” they might say, “I went to the store around 3:15 pm, parked near the front, ran into an old friend, bought some snacks, and then drove straight home.”

The extra details are often meant to make the story sound more believable, but they can actually have the opposite effect.

Honest people don’t feel the need to overexplain themselves. If someone’s story feels overly rehearsed or too detailed, it might not be the truth. But that’s not always the case, so it’s important to look at the other signs as well.

They Try to Shift the Focus on You

A common tactic used by liars is to shift the attention away from themselves and onto you. Instead of answering your question, they’ll turn it around and make you feel like the bad guy for asking.

For example, if you ask, “Why were you late?” and they respond with, “But at what time did you arrive exactly?” they are avoiding the original question.

This is a classic manipulation tactic meant to shift the focus away from themselves. If someone consistently avoids answering direct questions and shifts the focus onto you, they may be hiding the truth.

They Hesitate More Than Usual When They Talk

A liar often needs extra time to think before answering a question because they have to think of a response instead of simply telling the truth.

This hesitation can be a brief pause, repeating the question as we mentioned before, or even filling the silence with too many “uhm” or “hmm” sounds.

For example, if you ask, “Did you talk to him today?” and they pause longer than they normally would before saying, “Uhm… hmm, yeah, I did,” that hesitation might indicate they are making up the answer on the spot.

If someone usually speaks smoothly but suddenly seems unsure or slower in their responses, it could be a sign that they’re not telling the truth.

They Suddenly Change the Subject

When a liar feels cornered, they might try to divert the conversation away from what you’re bringing up. Instead of answering the question, they quickly shift to something unrelated to throw you off.

For example, if you ask, “Did you take my book?” and they suddenly start talking about how messy your desk is, they may be trying to distract you from their lie or secret.

A person who has nothing to hide will address the question directly instead of changing the subject like that.

They Get Unusually Angry or Upset

Some liars lash out aggressively when they feel their truth is being challenged. Instead of answering normally, they may become overly defensive, irritated, or even hostile.

If someone reacts with anger over a simple question, it could be because they feel exposed and are trying to scare you into dropping the subject.

They Overuse Humor to Deflect

When caught in a lie, some people try to laugh it off. Instead of giving a straight answer, they crack jokes or act as if the question is ridiculous to avoid addressing it.

If someone frequently makes jokes instead of answering serious questions, they may be hiding the truth behind humor.

They Accuse You of Being Toxic or Controlling

This goes hand in hand with getting upset or angry. 

When liars feel backed into a corner, they often try to turn the tables on you. Instead of addressing their lies, they accuse you of being toxic, controlling, or overly suspicious.

For example, if you ask a simple question like, “Where were you last night?” they might respond with, “Why are you always checking up on me? You’re so controlling.” This is a tactic designed to make you feel guilty for questioning them.

A truthful person won’t need to attack your character just because you asked for clarity. If someone constantly flips the script and makes you the problem whenever you try to address inconsistencies, it’s a big red flag. A huge red flag.

They Play the Victim Saying They Feel “Interrogated”

This goes hand in hand with the previous one. Another common trick liars use is playing the victim. And this is the signs I always tell people to look for the most.

If you ask direct but reasonable questions, the person who’s hiding something might act like you’re attacking them or putting them under unfair pressure.

For example, if you ask, “Why did you tell me one thing and say something else to them?” they might respond with, “I feel like I’m being interrogated! Why are you treating me like a criminal?”

By playing the victim, they avoid taking responsibility and try to make you feel bad for simply wanting to know the truth (and many people fall for this trick).

See, honest people answer questions without playing the victim.

Getting defensive or playing the victim instead, is not normal at all.


Liars often leave behind clues, whether it’s through their words or body language. The more you pay attention, the easier it becomes to spot their lies.

Trust your gut, if something feels off, it probably is. Honest people don’t need to overexplain, shift blame, or play the victim.

Recognizing these signs can help you make smarter choices about who you can trust.

The Truly Charming