Everyone swears they’re honest. According to a new survey, in fact, 96 percent of people said so with a straight face. But only 19 percent claimed they never lie to their partner, which means the rest of us are out here fabricating, finessing, or flat-out bullshitting our way through love and sex.
First dates are apparently theater. The survey, conducted by Gamblizard, found that about 35 percent admitted they lie to their potential partners, usually about money (16 percent), breakups (15 percent), or what they want long-term (11 percent).
Nearly 20 percent confessed they’ve exaggerated feelings or sexual abilities to get laid, which honestly makes “what do you do for fun?” look like a safer question than “what are you looking for?” If you’ve ever walked away from a first date wondering why someone seemed like a different person on the second, the data suggests you weren’t imagining it.
Long-term relationships don’t magically clean this up. Roughly 44 percent of people admitted to keeping secrets from their partners—lying by omission? The top three: hiding their sexual history (19 percent), pretending to like their in-laws (18 percent), and keeping financial trouble under wraps (13 percent).
These aren’t small fibs like “I’m on my way” when you’re still in the shower. They’re the kind of omissions that stew at the dinner table, just waiting for the wrong holiday to blow up.
And then there’s the digital layer, where reality bends even further. About 22 percent said they edit their photos to look better, and one in six admitted to creating fake accounts. Some were for anonymous arguments, others for full-blown affairs.
Nearly 20 percent said they’ve faked happiness, which may explain why so many couple selfies look painfully contrived.
The reasoning behind all of this is surprisingly simple. More than 50 percent said they lie to dodge awkward conversations, while 68 percent said it’s fine if the lie protects their partner’s feelings. A quarter of people admitted they see dishonesty as necessary if you want to get ahead in life. In other words, lying isn’t an exception—it’s the lubricant that keeps a lot of relationships moving.
None of this is shocking, but putting numbers to it makes the scale hard to ignore. Everyone talks about honesty as a foundation for love, but this survey suggests it’s more like an accessory—something people wear when it looks good, and ditch when it doesn’t fit the moment.
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