What phrase became Gregory House’s signature saying in House M.D.?

“Everybody lies” became Gregory House’s signature saying in House M.D., expressing his belief that patients often conceal facts that matter to diagnosis.

The phrase reflects one of the show’s recurring ideas: medical evidence can be distorted not only by disease, but also by incomplete or dishonest histories. House therefore questions patients, relatives, and even fellow doctors with unusual suspicion. In the series, the saying is less a literal claim about every person than a guiding principle for investigating hidden causes.

The line became strongly associated with House’s character and is often repeated in summaries, quotations, and discussions of the show. It also captures his abrasive worldview: he assumes that people protect themselves, hide embarrassing information, or misunderstand what happened to them.

The phrase should not be mistaken for a statement of medical fact or an instruction that doctors must distrust every patient. Real diagnosis depends on communication, examination, tests, and clinical judgment. House M.D. turns the idea into a memorable dramatic rule for its fictional mysteries.