: to say something that is not exactly true : to describe something as larger or greater than it really is He was stretching the truth to make the story more interesting.

Is stretching the truth an idiom?

To tell or explain something in such a way that, while not technically false, presents an exaggerated or misleading version of the truth. It would be stretching the truth to say that our company has been very successful, but we've managed to get by for the past few years.

Is stretching the truth considered lying?

So, when does s-t-r-e-t-c-h-i-n-g the truth turn into a lie? The term “lying” is ugly and offensive. Stretching the truth sounds harmless and innocent — and sometimes it is. Lying, or stretching the truth, may be innocent in its initial appearance or it might be diabolical and treacherous in its deeper intentions.