--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I'm not saying I'm a liar,' I told him…" description: "\"“I'm not saying I'm a liar,' I told him. He raised his eyebrows. 'That's not how I meant it, anyway.' 'How'd you mean it, then?' I was digging myself a..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a23/sarah-dessen-110_lies_i-m-not-saying-i-m-a-liar-i-told-him-he_2702750.jpg" --- # I'm not saying I'm a liar,' I told him. He raised his… ![“I'm not saying I'm a liar,' I told him. He raised his eyebrows. 'That's not how I meant it, anyway.' 'How'd you mean it, then?' I was digging myself a hole here, and I knew it. But still, I tried to explain myself. 'It's just... I don't always say what I feel.' 'Why not?' 'Because the truth…” quote by Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a23/sarah-dessen-110_lies_i-m-not-saying-i-m-a-liar-i-told-him-he_2702750.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a23/sarah-dessen-110_lies_i-m-not-saying-i-m-a-liar-i-told-him-he_2702750.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a23/sarah-dessen-110_lies_i-m-not-saying-i-m-a-liar-i-told-him-he_2702750.jpg) > ““I'm not saying I'm a liar,' I told him. He raised his eyebrows. 'That's not how I meant it, anyway.' 'How'd you mean it, then?' I was digging myself a hole here, and I knew it. But still, I tried to explain myself. 'It's just... I don't always say what I feel.' 'Why not?' 'Because the truth sometimes hurts,' I said. 'Yeah,' he said. 'So do lies, though.”” [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A conversation exposing the tension between honesty and protecting feelings, acknowledging both truth and lies can cause pain. **In simple terms:** Truth and lies both hurt; sometimes we hide feelings. Key Takeaway Speak honestly while being compassionate. Themes honesty vulnerability communication pain Mood reflective thoughtful cautious Type philosophical conversational When to use this quote - friendship conflict - romantic confession - conflict resolution - emotional honesty Key Concepts psychology interpersonal dynamics self-awareness Questions to Reflect On - When is it okay to with a painful truth? - How do you decide what to share? A Different Perspective Sometimes full honesty can damage relationships. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Liar Told](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/liar-told-2746255/) [Lies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lies/) [Said Lies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/said-lies-495976/) [Saying Liar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/saying-liar-2486835/) [Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth/) [Truth hurts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth-hurts/) ## Related quotes > [So you're always honest," I said. "Aren't you?" "No," I told him. "I'm not." "Well, that's good to know, I guess." "I'm not saying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/so-you-re-always-honest-i-said-aren-t-you-no-i-told-him-i-m-not-well/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [Because the truth sometimes hurts," I said. Yeah," he said. "So do lies, though.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/because-the-truth-sometimes-hurts-i-said-yeah-he-said-so-do-lies/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [You already said three lies: I, Ran, Up You already lyin!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madea/you-already-said-three-lies-i-ran-up-you-already-lyin/) [Madea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madea/) > [“An old liar told me here To think ahead and save my money. I should have spent it on ribbons. I should have learned…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/menzies-mckillop/an-old-liar-told-me-here-to-think-ahead-and-save-my-money-i-should/) [Menzies McKillop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/menzies-mckillop/) > [Even though you are a liar, if you told me right now that you loved me and that you were sorry, I would believe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/even-though-you-are-a-liar-if-you-told-me-right-now-that-you-loved-me/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“no man is as offended at doubt as is the habitual liar who has for once told the truth.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-a-macavoy/no-man-is-as-offended-at-doubt-as-is-the-habitual-liar-who-has-for/) [R.A. MacAvoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-a-macavoy/) > [That's the part I kept trying to say on Queen Radio: I don't have to believe you because you're saying it. I'm not saying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-budden/that-s-the-part-i-kept-trying-to-say-on-queen-radio-i-don-t-have-to/) [Joe Budden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-budden/) > [“--Are you saying I'm a liar? --No I'm just, like, speaking.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colum-mccann/are-you-saying-i-m-a-liar-no-i-m-just-like-speaking/) [Colum McCann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colum-mccann/) > [I ain't saying you're a liar, because that wouldn't be polite. But I'll tell you this, ma'am. If I loved liars, I'd hug you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-thompson/i-ain-t-saying-you-re-a-liar-because-that-wouldn-t-be-polite-but-i-ll/) [Jim Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-thompson/) > [“She didn't. I hadn't seen or spoken to Hailey since I left Silence." He frowned. "Then she made that stuff up?" Nell sipped her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kay-hooper/she-didn-t-i-hadn-t-seen-or-spoken-to-hailey-since-i-left-silence-he/) [Kay Hooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kay-hooper/) > [Truth hurts but lies do too](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-williams/truth-hurts-but-lies-do-too/) [Craig Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-williams/) > [“I would say that Op 31 had brought music just to the very edge … I just simply drew back and said, “beyond that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-ornstein/i-would-say-that-op-31-had-brought-music-just-to-the-very-edge-i-just/) [Leo Ornstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-ornstein/) > [All of what the government said is lies upon lies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ahmed-abu-khattala/all-of-what-the-government-said-is-lies-upon-lies/) [Ahmed Abu Khattala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ahmed-abu-khattala/) > [And when all was said and done the lies a fellow told about himself couldn't probably hold a proverbial candle to the wholesale whoppers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-joyce/and-when-all-was-said-and-done-the-lies-a-fellow-told-about-himself/) [James Joyce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-joyce/) > [“You lying liar," Vaan said, "who lies to me with lies. Nobody actually likes Shakespeare! They just pretend to sound more cultural and pretentious.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-d-truax/you-lying-liar-vaan-said-who-lies-to-me-with-lies-nobody-actually/) [A.D. Truax](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-d-truax/) ## More by Sarah Dessen > [Sometimes a question can hurt more than an answer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/sometimes-a-question-can-hurt-more-than-an-answer/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [“if i were a book i would be so open”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/if-i-were-a-book-i-would-be-so-open/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [Harder to get in than out, like so little else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/harder-to-get-in-than-out-like-so-little-else/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [“At times, I found myself questioning his very existence, even though I knew I had, in fact, spotted him, with my own eyes.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/at-times-i-found-myself-questioning-his-very-existence-even-though-i/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [You don't have to say it out loud. I already know why you like me.' 'You do, huh?' 'Yep.' He wrapped his arms around…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/you-don-t-have-to-say-it-out-loud-i-already-know-why-you-like-me-you/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [No relationship is perfect, ever. There are always some ways you have to bend, to compromise, to give something up in order to gain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/no-relationship-is-perfect-ever-there-are-always-some-ways-you-have/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [When you had to do something, you had to do it. And eventually, if you were lucky, you did it well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/when-you-had-to-do-something-you-had-to-do-it-and-eventually-if-you/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [the truth about forever is that it is happening right now](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/the-truth-about-forever-is-that-it-is-happening-right-now/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [I jammed my hand in my jacket pocket, bracing myself fo the next hit, and fel something. Something grainy and samll, sticking to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/i-jammed-my-hand-in-my-jacket-pocket-bracing-myself-fo-the-next-hit/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [I had no illusions about love anymore. It came, it went, it left casualties or it didn't. People weren't meant to be together forever,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/i-had-no-illusions-about-love-anymore-it-came-it-went-it-left/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [“But maybe that isn't so bad. You can't love anyone that way more than once in a lifetime. It's too hard and it hurts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/but-maybe-that-isn-t-so-bad-you-can-t-love-anyone-that-way-more-than/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [This was just one night, one chance to vary and see where it took me. The fireflies were probably already out: maybe it wasn’t…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/this-was-just-one-night-one-chance-to-vary-and-see-where-it-took-me/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [call it chicken salad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/call-it-chicken-salad/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [“For me, however, it was a mix of the two, this constant push and pull. I loved it here. But I'd been in that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/for-me-however-it-was-a-mix-of-the-two-this-constant-push-and-pull-i/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [I think whenever a writer is really enjoying themselves and liking what they are doing, that shows on the page.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/i-think-whenever-a-writer-is-really-enjoying-themselves-and-liking/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) [Explore all 1,251 Sarah Dessen quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) ## More Lies quotes > [I'm Fine!, the most common LIE in the world...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/punkinhead-abhishek/i-m-fine-the-most-common-lie-in-the-world/) [Punkinhead Abhishek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/punkinhead-abhishek/) > [Heaven lies around us in our infancy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-golding/heaven-lies-around-us-in-our-infancy/) [William Golding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-golding/) > [What is history after all? History is facts which become lies in the end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-cocteau/what-is-history-after-all-history-is-facts-which-become-lies-in-the/) [Jean Cocteau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-cocteau/) > [There are no white lies, there is only the blackest of destruction, and a white lie is the blackest of all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayn-rand/there-are-no-white-lies-there-is-only-the-blackest-of-destruction-and/) [Ayn Rand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayn-rand/) > [“What shapes us is not always our achievements but our omissions. Not lies; simply the truths we don’t tell.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-j-tudor/what-shapes-us-is-not-always-our-achievements-but-our-omissions-not/) [C.J. Tudor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-j-tudor/) > [He is almost a statesman. He lies well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-bonaparte/he-is-almost-a-statesman-he-lies-well/) [Napoleon Bonaparte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-bonaparte/) > [“We lie the loudest when we lie to ourselves.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/we-lie-the-loudest-when-we-lie-to-ourselves/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [The greatest gift you can give to those around you is honesty. Sometimes honest words may sting the heart, but dishonesty pierces deep into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nishan-panwar/the-greatest-gift-you-can-give-to-those-around-you-is-honesty/) [Nishan Panwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nishan-panwar/) > [“It's the basic truth of the human condition: everybody lies.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/house/it-s-the-basic-truth-of-the-human-condition-everybody-lies/) [house](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/house/) > [A lie always needs a truth for a handle to it. The worst lies are those whose blade is false, but whose handle is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/a-lie-always-needs-a-truth-for-a-handle-to-it-the-worst-lies-are/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) > [Words To Remember: Nobody's phone is ever off. They're lying...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/words-to-remember-nobody-s-phone-is-ever-off-they-re-lying/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Those who know New York City primarily through tourism or mass culture may think of us natives as possessing certain shared characteristics, not all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-dee/those-who-know-new-york-city-primarily-through-tourism-or-mass/) [Jonathan Dee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-dee/) > [“I'm over your lies and I'm over your games. I'm over you asking me when you know I'm not okay.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katharine-mcphee/i-m-over-your-lies-and-i-m-over-your-games-i-m-over-you-asking-me/) [Katharine McPhee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katharine-mcphee/) > [“DIGITAL TRUTH DIGITAL LIES • Searches • Social media posts • Views • Social media likes • Clicks • Dating profiles • Swipes”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-stephens-davidowitz/digital-truth-digital-lies-searches-social-media-posts-views-social/) [Seth Stephens-Davidowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-stephens-davidowitz/) > [You said you loved me, You said you cared for me, you said you wouldn't let anything happen to me. Then we got into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nohaterzz/you-said-you-loved-me-you-said-you-cared-for-me-you-said-you-wouldn-t/) [NoHaterzz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nohaterzz/) [Browse all 4,881 Lies quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lies/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“I'm not saying I'm a liar,' I told him. He raised his eyebrows. 'That's not how I meant it, anyway.' 'How'd you mean it, then?' I was digging myself a hole here, and I knew it. But still, I tried to explain myself. 'It's just... I don't always say what I feel.' 'Why not?' 'Because the truth sometimes hurts,' I said. 'Yeah,' he said. 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