to stretch the truth
5
5.3
- idiom
- Informal
:
exagerar
- Sometimes, as a younger man, I stretched the truth to get what I wanted.
- stretch the truth a little
- stretching the truth a bit
- just stretch the truth
But claiming that one could build a nuclear bomb with it is stretching the truth.
- But claiming that one could build a nuclear bomb with it is stretching the truth.
- Oh shit, either I lied or stretched the truth or it fell through or I'm embarrassed or whatever.
Examples
-
Well, the history books may have been stretching the truth.
Blog text (8) -
And any attempt to teach young people otherwise is to stretch the truth and shift history from fact to fiction.
Academic text (1992) -
In order to sell his idea, he may have to stretch the truth a little bit.
Blog text (29) -
Could you stretch the truth a little more, please?
Fiction book (2000) -
The reason I would lie is most likely that your employer is stretching the truth or lying to you.
Blog text (30) -
They always stretch the truth, Jack.
-
The National Wildlife Federation has quite a history of stretching the truth when it comes to "global warming."
Blog text (25) -
I wanted to cry, "But that's ridiculous!" Instead, I stretched the truth and said, "Well, I thought you were great!"
Fiction book (2001) -
Yes, all politicians stretch the truth, but they don't all flat-out lie with impunity.
Blog text (2) -
He tend to stretch the truth when telling stories to make them sound more exciting.
Synonyms
∞
1.3
To say something that is not true to trick someone
258
3.1
To say something is larger, better, or worse than it really is
97
4.6
To change facts so they become false or misleading
71
6.9
Give a false story about someone or something to trick people
70
4.2
Say something is bigger or more important than it really is
47
4.2
To make something seem more important or bigger than it really is
44
7.3
To make documents or facts not true to deceive people
34
4.6
To make something seem more important or serious than it really is
30
7.4
To change facts or stories so they are not true
20
3.4
To make something seem larger or more important than it is
13
4.6
Make something seem more important or serious than it really is
11
7.5
To change numbers or facts dishonestly to hide the truth
10
8.0
To describe a person or thing unfairly
9
5.6
To make something seem bigger or more important than it really is
5
9.5
To make something seem more important by adding details or exaggerating
4
3.7
To make something seem more important or bigger than it is
3
5.9
To say something that is not exactly what happened to make it look better
1
5.1
Make something seem much bigger or more important than it is
1
7.9
To make something seem much bigger or more important than it really is
1
5.4
To make something seem much worse or bigger than it is
1
9.6
To try to trick someone by saying things that are not true
Change facts on purpose to make something seem better
To tell someone a false story to impress or trick them
To make a story sound more exciting or important than it really is
To tell a story in a way that makes what happened sound bigger or not true
To invent a story or excuse that is not true
Antonyms
How True
814
2.7
3
5.9
- Informal
5
5.3
∞
1.3
50
7.3
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning 'to exaggerate or distort the facts' is directly derivable from combining 'stretch' (make broader/extend) with 'truth' (conformity to fact): the image of stretching something suggests making it bigger or less accurate. This metaphorical extension is a straightforward compositional pattern and is likely to be understood by a B1 learner who knows the constituent words.
Etymology
The idiom stretch the truth gives the image of the truth as a small rope you stretch until it gets longer and looks different. So, like that pulled rope, the facts are made bigger or changed, which is why the phrase means 'to exaggerate'.