A white lie is a lie that is considered harmless or trivial. Such lies are often told to spare hurting someone's feelings. While most people agree that lies are damaging, destructive, and downright wrong, there are times when people tell what they think are harmless lies as a way to prevent further harm.

Lying is OK in two general situations, to protect yourself or someone else from immediate danger — e.g., your friend's abusive spouse asks if you know where your friend is — and to protect someone's feelings. But even then, a strategic half-truth always beats a lie.

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Some would say yes, there's a difference between a polite fib and a real lie. If you're lying to protect someone's feelings—also called a white lie—then some people say that's OK. “Your reason for telling a white lie has to be positive,” says Robert Feldman, a professor who studies lying.

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10 Types of Lies and Deception Error. Sometimes, people believe they are telling the truth to another, but it ends up being a lie. ... Omission. ... Denial. ... Falsification. ... Misinterpretation. ... Bold-Faced Lie. ... White Lie. ... Exaggeration.

We can now explore four types of liars: Deceitful. Duplicitous. Delusional. Demoralized.