Cheat vs. Lie — What's the Difference?
Edited by Tayyaba Rehman — By Maham Liaqat — Updated on March 19, 2024
Cheat involves breaking rules for personal gain or to gain an unfair advantage, while lying is the act of deliberately stating falsehoods to deceive.
Difference Between Cheat and Lie
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
Cheat refers to the act of dishonestly gaining an advantage, particularly by breaking the rules. It can apply to various contexts, such as in games, exams, or relationships, where the cheater bypasses established norms for personal benefit. On the other hand, lying is the act of communicating something known to be untrue with the intent to deceive others. While cheating often involves a broader set of deceptive actions, lying is specifically about false statements.
While both cheating and lying involve deceit, cheating is more action-oriented, involving a plan or method to gain an unfair advantage. For example, someone might cheat on a test by using unauthorized materials. Lying, however, is verbal or written and directly involves falsifying information. For instance, telling someone you were at home when you were actually elsewhere is a lie.
Cheating can sometimes involve lying, but it's not limited to just false statements; it includes any deceitful action aimed at gaining an unfair advantage. Conversely, lying is purely about the act of making a false statement, regardless of whether it's for personal gain or another motive. This highlights the scope difference: cheating is broader and more encompassing, whereas lying is more specific.
In terms of consequences, both cheating and lying can lead to a loss of trust and credibility. However, the repercussions of cheating might extend further, affecting not only personal relationships but also one's standing in professional or academic environments. Meanwhile, the consequences of lying often depend on the context and the significance of the lie, affecting personal and professional relationships to varying degrees.
Ethically, cheating and lying are both viewed negatively, but the context can influence how they're perceived. Cheating in a competitive environment might be seen as especially egregious because it not only involves deceit but also directly undermines the fairness of the competition. Lying, while universally recognized as unethical, might sometimes be rationalized or deemed less severe depending on the lie's intent or impact.
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Comparison Chart
Definition
Act of dishonestly gaining an advantage by breaking rules.
Act of making a false statement with intent to deceive.
Context
Games, exams, relationships, professional settings.
Any situation involving communication.
Nature
Action-oriented, involves a plan or method.
Verbal or written, involves falsification of information.
Scope
Broader, includes any deceitful action for unfair advantage.
Specifically about false statements.
Consequences
Loss of trust, credibility, and may affect standing in various environments.
Loss of trust and credibility, impact varies by context.
Ethical View
Negatively viewed, especially egregious in competitive settings.
Universally unethical, severity varies by intent/impact.
Compare with Definitions
Cheat
To act dishonestly or unfairly to gain an advantage.
He was caught cheating during the final exam.
Lie
Denying the truth to avoid consequences.
She lied to avoid getting into trouble for the mistake.
Cheat
Violating fidelity in a relationship.
Cheating in a relationship can break trust irreparably.
Lie
To state something false with the intention to deceive.
He lied about where he was last night.
Cheat
Using unauthorized materials or information.
He cheated by sneaking notes into the test.
Lie
Withholding the truth to protect someone's feelings.
Sometimes, people lie to spare someone else's feelings.
Cheat
Gaining an unfair advantage in professional settings.
She cheated her way into the job by lying on her resume.
Lie
Fabricating stories or facts.
Creating a fake alibi is lying.
Cheat
Bypassing rules in a game for personal benefit.
Using a hidden app to win at online chess is cheating.
Lie
Misleading someone for personal gain.
Lying about your qualifications for a job can have serious repercussions.
Cheat
To deceive by trickery; swindle
Cheated customers by overcharging them for purchases.
Lie
A lie is an assertion that is believed to be false, typically used with the purpose of deceiving someone. The practice of communicating lies is called lying.
Cheat
To deprive by trickery; defraud
Cheated them of their land.
Lie
(of a person or animal) be in or assume a horizontal or resting position on a supporting surface
I had to lie down because I was groggy
The body lay face downwards on the grass
Lily lay back on the pillows and watched him
Cheat
To mislead; fool
Illusions that cheat the eye.
Lie
Be, remain, or be kept in a specified state
Putting homeless families into private houses that would otherwise lie empty
The abbey lies in ruins today
Cheat
To elude; escape
Cheat death.
Lie
(of a place) be situated in a specified position or direction
Kexby lies about five miles due east of York
Cheat
To act dishonestly; practice fraud.
Lie
(of an action, charge, or claim) be admissible or sustainable
An action for restitution would lie for money paid in breach of the law
Cheat
To violate rules deliberately, as in a game
Was accused of cheating at cards.
Lie
Tell a lie or lies
‘I am sixty-five,’ she lied
Why had Ashenden lied about his visit to London?
Cheat
(Sports) To position oneself closer to a certain area than is normal or expected
The shortstop cheated toward second base.
Lie
The way, direction, or position in which something lies
He was familiarizing himself with the lie of the streets
Cheat
An act of cheating; a fraud or swindle.
Lie
An intentionally false statement
The whole thing is a pack of lies
They hint rather than tell outright lies
Cheat
One who cheats; a swindler.
Lie
To be or place oneself at rest in a flat, horizontal, or recumbent position; recline
He lay under a tree to sleep.
Cheat
A technique that exploits a flaw or hidden feature in a video game or computer program.
Lie
To be placed on or supported by a surface that is usually horizontal
Dirty dishes lay on the table. See Usage Note at lay1.
Cheat
(Law) Fraudulent acquisition of another's property.
Lie
To be or remain in a specified condition
The dust has lain undisturbed for years. He lay sick in bed.
Cheat
(Botany) Any of several species of brome, especially Bromus secalinus, an annual European grass widespread as a weed.
Lie
To exist; reside
Our sympathies lie with the plaintiff.
Cheat
(intransitive) To violate rules in order to gain, or attempt to gain, advantage from a situation.
My brother flunked biology because he cheated on his mid-term.
Lie
To consist or have as a basis. Often used with in
The strength of his performance lies in his training.
Cheat
(transitive) To manage to avoid something even though it seemed inevitable.
He cheated death when his car collided with a moving train.
I feel as if I've cheated fate.
Lie
To occupy a position or place
The lake lies beyond this hill.
Cheat
(transitive) To deceive; to fool; to trick.
My ex-wife cheated me out of $40,000.
He cheated his way into office.
Lie
To extend
Our land lies between these trees and the river.
Cheat
Someone who cheats.
Lie
To be buried in a specified place.
Cheat
An act of deception or fraud; that which is the means of fraud or deception.
Lie
(Law) To be admissible or maintainable.
Cheat
The weed cheatgrass.
Lie
(Archaic) To stay for a night or short while.
Cheat
(card games) A card game where the goal is to have no cards remaining in a hand, often by telling lies.
Lie
To present false information with the intention of deceiving.
Cheat
(video games) A hidden means of gaining an unfair advantage in a video game, often by entering a cheat code.
Lie
To convey a false image or impression
Appearances often lie.
Cheat
(obsolete) A sort of low-quality bread.
Lie
To say or write as a lie.
Cheat
An act of deception or fraud; that which is the means of fraud or deception; a fraud; a trick; imposition; imposture.
When I consider life, 'tis all a cheat.
Lie
The manner or position in which something is situated.
Cheat
One who cheats or deceives; an impostor; a deceiver; a cheater.
Airy wonders, which cheats interpret.
Lie
A haunt or hiding place of an animal.
Cheat
A troublesome grass, growing as a weed in grain fields; - called also chess. See Chess.
Lie
(Sports) The position of a golf ball that has come to a stop.
Cheat
The obtaining of property from another by an intentional active distortion of the truth.
Lie
A false statement deliberately presented as being true; a falsehood.
Cheat
Wheat, or bread made from wheat.
Their purest cheat,Thrice bolted, kneaded, and subdued in paste.
Lie
Something meant to deceive or mistakenly accepted as true
Learned his parents had been swindlers and felt his whole childhood had been a lie.
Cheat
To deceive and defraud; to impose upon; to trick; to swindle.
I am subject to a tyrant, a sorcerer, that by his cunning hath cheated me of this island.
Lie
(intransitive) To rest in a horizontal position on a surface.
The book lies on the table;
The snow lies on the roof;
He lies in his coffin
Cheat
To beguile.
To cheat winter of its dreariness.
Lie
(intransitive) To be placed or situated.
Cheat
To practice fraud or trickery; as, to cheat at cards.
Lie
To abide; to remain for a longer or shorter time; to be in a certain state or condition.
To lie waste; to lie fallow; to lie open; to lie hidden; to lie grieving; to lie under one's displeasure; to lie at the mercy of the waves
The paper does not lie smooth on the wall.
Cheat
Weedy annual grass often occurs in grainfields and other cultivated land; seeds sometimes considered poisonous
Lie
Used with in: to be or exist; to belong or pertain; to have an abiding place; to consist.
Cheat
Weedy annual native to Europe but widely distributed as a weed especially in wheat
Lie
Used with on/upon: to be incumbent (on); to be the responsibility of a person.
Cheat
Someone who leads you to believe something that is not true
Lie
(archaic) To lodge; to sleep.
Cheat
The act of swindling by some fraudulent scheme;
That book is a fraud
Lie
To be still or quiet, like one lying down to rest.
Cheat
A deception for profit to yourself
Lie
(legal) To be sustainable; to be capable of being maintained.
Cheat
Deprive somebody of something by deceit;
The con-man beat me out of $50
This salesman ripped us off!
We were cheated by their clever-sounding scheme
They chiseled me out of my money
Lie
(intransitive) To give false information intentionally with intent to deceive.
When Pinocchio lies, his nose grows.
If you are found to have lied in court, you could face a penalty.
While a principle-based approach might claim that lying is always morally wrong, the casuist would argue that, depending upon the details of the case, lying might or might not be illegal or unethical. The casuist might conclude that a person is wrong to lie in legal testimony under oath, but might argue that lying actually is the best moral choice if the lie saves a life.
Cheat
Defeat someone in an expectation through trickery or deceit
Lie
(intransitive) To convey a false image or impression.
Photographs often lie.
Cheat
Engage in deceitful behavior; practice trickery or fraud;
Who's chiseling on the side?
Lie
To be mistaken or unintentionally spread false information.
Sorry, I haven't seen your keys anywhere...wait, I lied! They're right there on the coffee table.
Lie
(golf) The terrain and conditions surrounding the ball before it is struck.
Lie
(disc golf) The terrain and conditions surrounding the disc before it is thrown.
Lie
(medicine) The position of a fetus in the womb.
Lie
A manner of lying; relative position.
Lie
An animal's lair.
Lie
An intentionally false statement; an intentional falsehood.
I knew he was telling a lie by his facial expression.
Lie
A statement intended to deceive, even if literally true.
Lie
(by extension) Anything that misleads or disappoints.
Lie
See Lye.
Lie
A falsehood uttered or acted for the purpose of deception; an intentional violation of truth; an untruth spoken with the intention to deceive.
The proper notion of a lie is an endeavoring to deceive another by signifying that to him as true, which we ourselves think not to be so.
It is willful deceit that makes a lie. A man may act a lie, as by pointing his finger in a wrong direction when a traveler inquires of him his road.
Lie
A fiction; a fable; an untruth.
Lie
Anything which misleads or disappoints.
Wishing this lie of life was o'er.
Lie
The position or way in which anything lies; the lay, as of land or country.
He surveyed with his own eyes . . . the lie of the country on the side towards Thrace.
Lie
To utter falsehood with an intention to deceive; to say or do that which is intended to deceive another, when he a right to know the truth, or when morality requires a just representation.
Lie
To rest extended on the ground, a bed, or any support; to be, or to put one's self, in an horizontal position, or nearly so; to be prostate; to be stretched out; - often with down, when predicated of living creatures; as, the book lies on the table; the snow lies on the roof; he lies in his coffin.
The watchful traveler . . . Lay down again, and closed his weary eyes.
Lie
To be situated; to occupy a certain place; as, Ireland lies west of England; the meadows lie along the river; the ship lay in port.
Lie
To abide; to remain for a longer or shorter time; to be in a certain state or condition; as, to lie waste; to lie fallow; to lie open; to lie hid; to lie grieving; to lie under one's displeasure; to lie at the mercy of the waves; the paper does not lie smooth on the wall.
Lie
To be or exist; to belong or pertain; to have an abiding place; to consist; - with in.
Envy lies between beings equal in nature, though unequal in circumstances.
He that thinks that diversion may not lie in hard labor, forgets the early rising and hard riding of huntsmen.
Lie
To lodge; to sleep.
Whiles I was now trifling at home, I saw London, . . . where I lay one night only.
Mr. Quinion lay at our house that night.
Lie
To be still or quiet, like one lying down to rest.
The wind is loud and will not lie.
Lie
To be sustainable; to be capable of being maintained.
What he gets more of her than sharp words, let it lie on my head.
Lie
A statement that deviates from or perverts the truth
Lie
Norwegian diplomat who was the first Secretary General of the United Nations (1896-1968)
Lie
Position or manner in which something is situated
Lie
Be located or situated somewhere; occupy a certain position
Lie
Be lying, be prostrate; be in a horizontal position;
The sick man lay in bed all day
The books are lying on the shelf
We had to stand for the entire performance!
Lie
Originate (in);
The problems dwell in the social injustices in this country
Lie
Be and remain in a particular state or condition;
Lie dormant
Lie
Tell an untruth; pretend with intent to deceive;
Don't lie to your parents
She lied when she told me she was only 29
Lie
Have a place in relation to something else;
The fate of Bosnia lies in the hands of the West
The responsibility rests with the Allies
Lie
Assume a reclining position;
Lie down on the bed until you feel better
Common Curiosities
What is the main difference between cheating and lying?
The main difference is that cheating involves breaking rules for an unfair advantage, while lying is about making false statements to deceive.
Is lying always considered cheating?
No, lying is not always considered cheating, as it doesn't always involve breaking rules or gaining an unfair advantage.
Are there situations where lying is acceptable?
While lying is generally unethical, some argue that it can be justified in situations where it's intended to protect someone's feelings or prevent harm.
Can cheating involve lying?
Yes, cheating can involve lying, especially if deceitful statements are part of gaining an unfair advantage.
What are the consequences of cheating?
The consequences can include loss of trust, credibility, and potential repercussions in academic, professional, and personal spheres.
How does society view cheating and lying?
Both are viewed negatively, but the context and intent can influence the severity of societal judgment.
What motivates people to cheat or lie?
Motivations can include the desire for personal gain, fear of consequences, competitive pressure, or the intention to protect others.
How do cheating and lying affect relationships?
They can severely damage trust and credibility, potentially leading to the end of relationships.
Can a lie ever become a cheat?
A lie can become part of cheating if it's used as a means to break rules or gain an unfair advantage.
Is it easier to forgive cheating or lying?
Forgiveness depends on the context, the severity of the act, and the individuals involved, though both can be challenging to forgive.
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Written by
Maham Liaqat
Edited by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
