What phrase about dishonesty is repeatedly associated with House in House M.D.?

“Everybody lies” is the phrase about dishonesty repeatedly associated with House in House M.D.

House uses the expression to explain why doctors should not treat a patient’s account as complete or perfectly reliable. In his view, patients may conceal information because they are embarrassed, frightened, protecting someone else, or unaware that a detail matters medically.

The phrase became one of the show’s best-known lines and summarizes House’s investigative philosophy. His teams often search homes, question relatives, or test unusual possibilities because the apparent story does not explain the symptoms.

The saying does not mean that every patient deliberately fabricates an entire illness. Rather, it reflects House’s belief that personal motives and incomplete information can distort diagnosis. The line also connects the medical mysteries to the show’s broader theme of uncertainty and human behavior.