You know that gut feeling that someone isn’t telling you the whole truth? Maybe a friend gave you a sketchy excuse, a partner seemed a little too defensive, or a coworker’s story just didn’t add up.
Liars don’t always come with a blinking red sign on their forehead. They can be smooth, convincing, and sometimes even believe their own lies. But you don’t need to be a detective or a mind reader to spot a liar.
With a few simple techniques, you can catch deception in seconds. People reveal the truth through their body language, voice, and the way they construct their sentences. If you know what to look for, you can spot the red flags before you fall for the lie.
So, how do you do it?
The eyes are the first place to check when you suspect someone is lying.
Too much eye contact: Liars often think that avoiding eye contact makes them look suspicious, so they overcompensate by staring too intensely to appear convincing.
Too little eye contact: Some people instinctively look away when they lie, especially when recalling fake details.
Rapid blinking: A person’s blink rate naturally increases when they’re feeling nervous or guilty.
Quick test: Ask the person a simple question you know they’ll answer truthfully, then observe their eye movements. When you ask them something suspicious, compare their reaction, if their eye behaviour suddenly changes, you’ve caught a red flag.
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A liar’s words often expose them—they either say too much or too little.
Over-explaining: If someone gives you way too many details about something simple, they might be trying to cover up a lie with extra information.
Pausing before answering: If they take an unusually long time to respond to an easy question, they could be making up a story in their head.
Repeating the question: This is a classic stall tactic. If you ask, “Did you take my charger?” and they respond, “Did I take your charger?”—they’re buying time to come up with a lie.
Try asking the same question in different ways. Liars struggle to stay consistent. If their answers start to shift, they’re probably hiding something.
When someone lies, their body often betrays them. Even if their words seem convincing, their subconscious movements may tell a different story.
Look out for:
Touching their face or mouth: A classic nervous habit liars use unconsciously.
Fidgeting too much: Shuffling feet, tapping fingers, or adjusting their clothes can signal anxiety.
Crossed arms or turning away slightly: This shows defensiveness or discomfort.
Sudden stillness: Some liars go the opposite way and freeze, trying too hard to appear “normal.”
Casually mirror their body language and see if they naturally mirror you back. Honest people do this subconsciously, while liars stay stiff or act unnaturally.
Even the best liars struggle to keep their voice steady when telling a false story.
Here’s what to listen for:
A higher-pitched voice: When people lie, their vocal cords tense up, making their voice sound slightly higher than usual.
Unusual pauses or stammering: Their brain is working harder to create a story, causing hesitation or unnatural stops.
Speaking too fast or too slow: Both can indicate nervousness or an attempt to control the conversation.
Try changing the subject quickly. If they instantly relax or sound relieved, it means they were under stress while answering your previous question—possibly because they were lying.
Liars don’t like being in the hot seat. When caught, they’ll often try to redirect attention or get defensive.
Watch out for:
Blaming someone else – Instead of answering directly, they shift blame to another person.
Answering a question with a question – Instead of saying "No, I didn’t break it," they might respond with, "Why would I do that?"
Acting overly offended – If someone reacts aggressively to a simple question, they might be trying to cover their guilt with anger or outrage.
Ask them a neutral question about the same topic without accusing them. If they still get defensive, it’s a sign they have something to hide.
Microexpressions are tiny facial expressions that last less than a second—and they often reveal the truth before someone can hide it.
Common microexpressions that signal deception:
A quick smirk before denying something: This could be a sign of hidden confidence in their lie.
A flash of fear or stress before answering: Their body knows they’re lying, even if they try to cover it up.
A split-second look of guilt or sadness: Before they put on a neutral face, you might catch a glimpse of their true feelings.
Now that you know the signs, how many lies have you missed in the past?
Next time you’re suspicious, remember:
Check their eye movements for sudden changes.
Observe their body language.
Listen to their voice for nervous shifts in tone.
Watch their reactions, liars get defensive or try to change the subject.
Look for microexpressions, the truth flashes before they hide it.
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