half the truth is often a whole lie

half the truth is often a whole lie

proverb Not being completely honest can be as deceitful as lying; intentionally omitting information is equivalent to lying. I know you want to protect his feelings, but you really need to be honest with him. Half the truth is often a whole lie, you know.
See also: half, lie, often, truth, whole
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

Half the truth is often a whole lie.

Prov. If you do not tell the whole truth, you can mislead people just as if you tell them an outright lie. Jill: You lied to me. Jane: I did not. Everything I said was true. Jill: But you didn't tell me the whole story. And half the truth is often a whole lie.
See also: half, lie, often, truth, whole
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.
See also:
  • lie through one's teeth, to
  • lying
  • children and fools tell the truth
  • have a part in (something)
  • have a role in (something)
  • role
  • play a role in (something)
  • a part in (something)
  • play a part in
  • play a part in (something)