What phrase is repeatedly associated with House M.D.’s view of patient histories?

“Everybody lies” is the phrase repeatedly associated with House M.D.’s view of patient histories. Gregory House uses it to express his belief that patients may omit, distort, or misunderstand important information, even when they are seeking medical help.

The phrase became one of the show’s most recognizable lines because it supports House’s diagnostic method. His team does not rely only on what a patient says; they investigate behavior, surroundings, test results, and inconsistencies in the story. The slogan is therefore connected to the series’ recurring theme that symptoms and testimony must be interpreted rather than accepted mechanically.

“Everybody lies” is not the name of the series finale. The finale is titled “Everybody Dies,” a deliberate variation that many viewers remember alongside the earlier phrase. The wording also does not mean that every patient is intentionally deceitful; in the show, people may hide facts because of fear, embarrassment, privacy, or incomplete knowledge.

The phrase is associated with House rather than with Wilson or Cuddy, although other characters sometimes repeat or challenge his view.