bend the truth

Definitions

To change or leave out certain facts of a story or situation, generally in order to elicit a specific response in the audience.

idiomatic

Equivalents

Examples

“In relating the story to Julie, he decided to bend⟳ the truth just enough to make⟳ her think⟳ he had really been in danger.”

“In his warped attempt⟳ to bend⟳ the truth completely out of shape⟳, ....”

“In a Feb. 5 column, Dottie Lamm seemed quite happy to bend⟳ the truth in all directions”

“KGB had always been on the lookout for hard facts, but then reported those facts to people besotted with a dream⟳, who then bent the truth in the service of that dream⟳. When the truth had finally broken through, the dream⟳ had suddenly evaporated like⟳ a cloud of steam in a high wind, and reality had poured in like⟳ the flood⟳ following the breakup of an icebound river in springtime.”

CEFR level