--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When you can't tell the truth, tell *a*…" description: "\"When you can't tell the truth, tell *a* truth.\" — Greg Cox" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/531/greg-cox-17296_telling-the-truth_when-you-can-t-tell-the-truth-tell-a-tru_2234692.jpg" --- # When you can't tell the truth, tell \*a\* truth. ![“When you can't tell the truth, tell *a* truth.” quote by Greg Cox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/531/greg-cox-17296_telling-the-truth_when-you-can-t-tell-the-truth-tell-a-tru_2234692.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/531/greg-cox-17296_telling-the-truth_when-you-can-t-tell-the-truth-tell-a-tru_2234692.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/531/greg-cox-17296_telling-the-truth_when-you-can-t-tell-the-truth-tell-a-tru_2234692.jpg) > “When you can't tell the truth, tell \*a\* truth.” [Greg Cox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-cox/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. When honesty is impossible, choose a partial truth that still conveys essential reality. **In simple terms:** If you can't be fully honest, give a partial truth. Key Takeaway Find a truthful fragment to share. Themes integrity communication ethics Mood cautious reflective Type advice ethical When to use this quote - personal relationships - workplace dilemmas - public statements - conflict resolution Key Concepts truthfulness pragmatism Questions to Reflect On - When is a partial truth acceptable? - How might this affect credibility? A Different Perspective Partial truths can still mislead or erode trust over time. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Tell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tell/) [Tell Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tell-truth/) [Telling the truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/telling-the-truth/) [Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth/) [Truth Tell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth-tell/) ## Related quotes > [Always tell the truth or the truth will tell on you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-k-sonnenberg/always-tell-the-truth-or-the-truth-will-tell-on-you/) [Frank K. Sonnenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-k-sonnenberg/) > [Tell the truth, or someone else will tell it for you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/tell-the-truth-or-someone-else-will-tell-it-for-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [In the West, you don't get in any trouble if you tell the truth, but you still can't do it. Not only can't you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/in-the-west-you-don-t-get-in-any-trouble-if-you-tell-the-truth-but/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [“These white folk have newspapers, magazines, radios, spokesmen to get their ideas across. If they want to tell the world a lie, they can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-ellison/these-white-folk-have-newspapers-magazines-radios-spokesmen-to-get/) [Ralph Ellison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-ellison/) > [I love the truth. Tell the truth and live the truth, because we've seen enough lies and look what it's doing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/waris-dirie/i-love-the-truth-tell-the-truth-and-live-the-truth-because-we-ve-seen/) [Waris Dirie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/waris-dirie/) > [All I could say was, "I don't know what to do." I remember her taking me by the shoulders and looking me in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gilbert/all-i-could-say-was-i-don-t-know-what-to-do-i-remember-her-taking-me/) [Elizabeth Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gilbert/) > [How many slams in an old screen door? Depends how loud you shut it. How many slices in a bread? Depends how thin you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-klein/how-many-slams-in-an-old-screen-door-depends-how-loud-you-shut-it-how/) [Stephanie Klein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-klein/) > [Start telling the truth now and never stop. Begin by telling the truth to yourself about yourself. Then tell the truth to yourself about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neale-donald-walsch/start-telling-the-truth-now-and-never-stop-begin-by-telling-the-truth/) [Neale Donald Walsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neale-donald-walsch/) > [Your first obligation as a writer is to tell the truth and to tell a good story.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lena-waithe/your-first-obligation-as-a-writer-is-to-tell-the-truth-and-to-tell-a/) [Lena Waithe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-waithe/) > [Tell the truth or trump-but get the trick.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/tell-the-truth-or-trump-but-get-the-trick/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [When you're playing country music, you have to tell the truth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-kane/when-you-re-playing-country-music-you-have-to-tell-the-truth/) [Christian Kane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-kane/) > [Tell the truth and you won't have so much to remember](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/tell-the-truth-and-you-won-t-have-so-much-to-remember/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [It requires as much to tell the truth as to conceal it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baltasar-gracian/it-requires-as-much-to-tell-the-truth-as-to-conceal-it/) [Baltasar Gracian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baltasar-gracian/) > [“Be interesting. Tell the truth. And if you can’t tell the truth, change what you’re doing so you can. In other words, live the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonah-sachs/be-interesting-tell-the-truth-and-if-you-can-t-tell-the-truth-change/) [Jonah Sachs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonah-sachs/) > [“…there’s nothing in this world that demands more caution than the truth. To tell the truth is like leeching one’s own heart...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/umberto-eco/there-s-nothing-in-this-world-that-demands-more-caution-than-the/) [Umberto Eco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/umberto-eco/) ## More by Greg Cox > [“Now you’re trying to set me up with a jewel thief?” “At this point, sir, I would set you up with a chimpanzee if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-cox/now-you-re-trying-to-set-me-up-with-a-jewel-thief-at-this-point-sir-i/) [Greg Cox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-cox/) > [Maybe you've got the patience to work out some complicated, long-term, ironic way to get back at the people who've wronged you, but that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-cox/maybe-you-ve-got-the-patience-to-work-out-some-complicated-long-term/) [Greg Cox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-cox/) > [“Suffering builds character. - Miranda Tate”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-cox/suffering-builds-character-miranda-tate/) [Greg Cox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-cox/) > [“Parker and Hardison look like they're having a good time." "I see," Nate said. "Should we be worried?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-cox/parker-and-hardison-look-like-they-re-having-a-good-time-i-see-nate/) [Greg Cox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-cox/) > [“Just remember, this is a collaborative effort. We don't have time for creative differences or outbreaks of artistic integrity.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-cox/just-remember-this-is-a-collaborative-effort-we-don-t-have-time-for/) [Greg Cox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-cox/) > [“Machine guns, missile launchers, grappling hooks and cables—what more could a girl want?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-cox/machine-guns-missile-launchers-grappling-hooks-and-cables-what-more/) [Greg Cox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-cox/) > [“We should definitely keep an eye on the children of course, particularly that little Indian boy you mentioned, the son of Sarina Kaur. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-cox/we-should-definitely-keep-an-eye-on-the-children-of-course/) [Greg Cox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-cox/) > [“Peace has cost you your strength,” Bane declared. “Victory has defeated you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-cox/peace-has-cost-you-your-strength-bane-declared-victory-has-defeated/) [Greg Cox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-cox/) > [“My mother warned me about getting into cars with strange men.” “This isn’t a car,” he pointed out.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-cox/my-mother-warned-me-about-getting-into-cars-with-strange-men-this-isn/) [Greg Cox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-cox/) > [“You have a practiced apathy, Mr. Wayne. But a man who doesn’t care about the world doesn’t spend half his fortune on a plan…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-cox/you-have-a-practiced-apathy-mr-wayne-but-a-man-who-doesn-t-care-about/) [Greg Cox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-cox/) > [“There is a prison,” Alfred began grimly, “in a more ancient part of the world. A pit where men are thrown to suffer and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-cox/there-is-a-prison-alfred-began-grimly-in-a-more-ancient-part-of-the/) [Greg Cox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-cox/) > [“You think darkness is your ally,” Bane said. “But you merely adopted the dark. I was born in it. Formed by it…”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-cox/you-think-darkness-is-your-ally-bane-said-but-you-merely-adopted-the/) [Greg Cox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-cox/) > [“Don’t apologize for believing the world is in better shape than it is,” the commissioner told him. “Just fight to make it true.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-cox/don-t-apologize-for-believing-the-world-is-in-better-shape-than-it-is/) [Greg Cox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-cox/) > [“You can fail as Bruce Wayne,” he said. “As Batman, you can’t afford to.” “Is that what you’re afraid of?” Bruce asked indignantly. “That…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-cox/you-can-fail-as-bruce-wayne-he-said-as-batman-you-can-t-afford-to-is/) [Greg Cox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-cox/) > [“The last few years had taught her that, bizarrely, there might be more to life than money, heists, and adrenaline. A crazy idea, no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-cox/the-last-few-years-had-taught-her-that-bizarrely-there-might-be-more/) [Greg Cox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-cox/) [Explore all 37 Greg Cox quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-cox/) ## More Tell quotes > [You've got to tell your money what to do or it will leave.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-ramsey/you-ve-got-to-tell-your-money-what-to-do-or-it-will-leave/) [Dave Ramsey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-ramsey/) > [If we accept being talked to any kind of a way, then we are telling ourselves we are not quite worth the best. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/if-we-accept-being-talked-to-any-kind-of-a-way-then-we-are-telling/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [Rule number something or other -- never tell anybody anything unless you're going to get something better in return.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-paretsky/rule-number-something-or-other-never-tell-anybody-anything-unless-you/) [Sara Paretsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-paretsky/) > [It's a great story for us whenever an entrepreneur makes a crazy amount of money and we get to tell the world about it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-lacy/it-s-a-great-story-for-us-whenever-an-entrepreneur-makes-a-crazy/) [Sarah Lacy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-lacy/) > [You want me to do something... tell me I can't do it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/you-want-me-to-do-something-tell-me-i-can-t-do-it/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [We can never tell what is in store for us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-s-truman/we-can-never-tell-what-is-in-store-for-us/) [Harry S. Truman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-s-truman/) > [If You Don't Tell Yourself You Are Beautiful, Who Is?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ms-freshie/if-you-don-t-tell-yourself-you-are-beautiful-who-is/) [Ms\_Freshie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ms-freshie/) > [I always want to surprise audiences and tell stories that are entertaining and challenging at the same time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-hechinger/i-always-want-to-surprise-audiences-and-tell-stories-that-are/) [Fred Hechinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-hechinger/) > [My work is a love for me; I'd do it for free, but don't tell my bosses.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chick-hearn/my-work-is-a-love-for-me-i-d-do-it-for-free-but-don-t-tell-my-bosses/) [Chick Hearn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chick-hearn/) > [“No one has any right to tell you that the way you perceive yourself is wrong. Because by doing so, they also discourage the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kamand-kojouri/no-one-has-any-right-to-tell-you-that-the-way-you-perceive-yourself/) [Kamand Kojouri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kamand-kojouri/) > [You can never tell when a commercial space venture will suddenly become viable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/buzz-aldrin/you-can-never-tell-when-a-commercial-space-venture-will-suddenly/) [Buzz Aldrin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/buzz-aldrin/) > [I've had people call me and tell me, 'You've given me courage.' It's fantastic... it's heart-warming to know you can be a ray of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kubra-sait/i-ve-had-people-call-me-and-tell-me-you-ve-given-me-courage-it-s/) [Kubra Sait](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kubra-sait/) > [I want to tell you, but I cant, becuase I'm afraid if I do you'll never treat me same the again](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cristina-orante/i-want-to-tell-you-but-i-cant-becuase-i-m-afraid-if-i-do-you-ll-never/) [Cristina Orante](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cristina-orante/) > [Don't let other people tell you who you are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-sawyer/don-t-let-other-people-tell-you-who-you-are/) [Diane Sawyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-sawyer/) > [When a young artist asks me a question, I want to do what I can to give them an answer if I have it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-tait/when-a-young-artist-asks-me-a-question-i-want-to-do-what-i-can-to/) [Michael Tait](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-tait/) [Browse all 6,348 Tell quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tell/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When you can't tell the truth, tell *a* truth.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Greg Cox" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-cox/when-you-can-t-tell-the-truth-tell-a-truth/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Tell" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-cox/when-you-can-t-tell-the-truth-tell-a-truth/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/531/greg-cox-17296_telling-the-truth_when-you-can-t-tell-the-truth-tell-a-tru_2234692.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/531/greg-cox-17296_telling-the-truth_when-you-can-t-tell-the-truth-tell-a-tru_2234692.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/531/greg-cox-17296_telling-the-truth_when-you-can-t-tell-the-truth-tell-a-tru_2234692.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“When you can't tell the truth, tell *a* truth.” — Greg Cox", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Greg Cox", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-cox/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "When you can't tell the truth,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-cox/when-you-can-t-tell-the-truth-tell-a-truth/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-cox/when-you-can-t-tell-the-truth-tell-a-truth/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```