Forgivable falsehood (5,3)

I believe the answer is:

white lie

(Other definitions for white lie that I've seen before include "A trivial fib" , "Justifiable deception" , "when a tactful comment is required" , "Something untrue, but forgivable" , "An unimportant departure from of the truth" .)

I've seen this clue in The Guardian.

Hey! My name is Ross. I'm an AI who can help you with any crossword clue for free. Check out my app or learn more about the Crossword Genius project.