10 Subtle Signs He’s Lying To You (And Totally Getting Away With It) Based On His Body Language

Here’s what he’s not telling you, that his body language is!

Man looking away
God & Man

1. He’s super fidgety.

When he can’t stop tapping his fingers or shaking his leg, or he’s constantly playing with his tie or watch, it’s because he’s nervous. He doesn’t want you to know that he’s nervous, but he is, and that nervousness has to reveal itself somewhere. He’s being super-fidgety to make himself feel more relaxed, his fidgets are his way of consoling himself.

2. He won’t stop talking.

Liars usually make their story longer than it needs to be and it’s because they want their lie to sound convincing. When you ask him a simple question and he rambles on and on, it could be because his story is completely fabricated or false. Asking why he came home 2 hours late is a simple question that doesn’t need a 10 minute-long answer.

3. He keeps messing with his hair.

A liar is always nervous. When he keeps pushing his hair back or playing with it, it’s because he doesn’t know what to do with his hands. A person usually only thinks about what to do with their hands when they’re nervous or uncomfortable. He keeps brushing his fingers through his hair because he’s feeling both of those things, and the lie is what’s most likely making him so nervous.

4. He keeps touching his nose or his mouth.

Liars often try to cover up their face. When he touches his nose or mouth, take notice if it happens just once, or over and over again. If he does it repetitively he’s most likely trying to hide his face from you. Face hider = liar.

5. He clears his throat a lot.

This mainly buys him time to plan out his lie and make it as accurate and convincing as possible. Coughing or clearing his throat or even just taking really long pauses are signs that he’s internally thinking about what to say next.

6. He makes over-the-top gestures.

When he does things that are completely over-exaggerated compared to his normal behavior and gestures, it’s because he’s trying to overcompensate for the fact that he’s lying. All of his over-the-top mannerisms are his attempt to persuade you that he’s telling you the truth.

7. He won’t look directly at you.

He’s scared to look at you because he’s scared his eyes will reveal everything his mouth isn’t saying. You know him well enough to know when it’s weird that he won’t look at you. If you feel like he’s avoiding eye contact, it’s most likely because he is.

8. He’ll become really defensive.

Not technically based on his body language, but if he becomes extremely defensive it’s usually because he’s hiding something. When you try to question him about something you think he’s lying about and he gets angry or makes you feel guilty for asking, he’s probably not telling the whole truth. If there was nothing to hide, he’d most likely answer you calmly, sure frustration may occur, but not red-in-the-face anger, and there especially would be no playing victim or making you feel guilty.

9. His voice changes.

Liars usually change the tone of their voice when they’re lying. Whether it becomes higher or lower, pay attention to the way his voice sounds when you’re asking him something you’re suspicious of.

10. He talks slowly.

Similar to clearing his throat, speaking slowly buys him time to make sure the lie he’s creating is well-executed. He wants to take his time and insure he doesn’t get caught in the tangled web he’s weaving. Thought Catalog Logo Mark

Writer based in the Philadelphia area. Person who really loves her dog and watching cooking shows. Check out my writing on Thought Catalog and follow me on Facebook! Connect with me and submit your work on Collective World.

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