Are you tempted to lie just to save face? Well, you wouldn't be the only one, according to a new survey.

The poll of 1,000 American adults, by Wakefield Research on behalf of Crocs footwear, found that women were far more comfortable (72%) with lying to get through an awkward moment than their male counterparts (56%).

Millennials (those aged 18 to 32) are more likely than any other age group to suffer uncomafortable social situations, with just over a third (34%) saying they experience more than three a week.

But Millennials are clearly a thick-skinned bunch, with 80% saying they find it acceptable to lie in order to avoid embarrassment and 44% saying they are happy to blame someone else. A similar number (46%) will fake a mobile phone call to dodge an awkward moment.

By contrast, over half (55%) of Baby Boomers said they rarely experience an awkward moment, with no uncomfortable situations during an average week.

Over half (55%) said they felt more uncomfortable with someone telling them their fly is down, than telling someone else that theirs is down.

When it comes to dating, for guys the most embarrassing moment has been passing gas (38%), while for the ladies it is spilling food on themselves (40%).

As for relationships, 57% of men said they felt comfortable in less than a month, while a similar percentage of women (59%) said it took them more than a month to feel comfortable in a relationship. Nineteen per cent of Americans said they never get comfortable in a relationship.

The workplace is something of a hotspot for awkward moments, with around two thirds of those surveyed (65%) saying they had experienced at least one uncomfortable moment on the job.

Forty per cent said it was a coworker over-sharing personal information, while an unlucky 13% accidentally forwarded a personal email to coworkers.

Crocs President and CEO John McCarvel, said: "The poll tells a compelling story. It vividly and statistically defines the genders and generations of adults who feel most comfortable with themselves.

"That story can initiate lively conversations while serving as a launching-off point for International Comfort Day, which will provide all of us with a breather from the stresses of everyday life."