deceitful

adjective

de·​ceit·​ful di-ˈsēt-fəl How to pronounce deceitful (audio)
: having a tendency or disposition to deceive or give false impressions:
a
: not honest
a deceitful person
b
: deceptive, misleading
deceitful advertising
deceitfully adverb
deceitfulness noun
Choose the Right Synonym for deceitful

dishonest, deceitful, mendacious, untruthful mean unworthy of trust or belief.

dishonest implies a willful perversion of truth in order to deceive, cheat, or defraud.

a swindle usually involves two dishonest people

deceitful usually implies an intent to mislead and commonly suggests a false appearance or double-dealing.

the secret affairs of a deceitful spouse

mendacious may suggest bland or even harmlessly mischievous deceit and when used of people often suggests a habit of telling untruths.

mendacious tales of adventure

untruthful stresses a discrepancy between what is said and fact or reality.

an untruthful account of their actions

Examples of deceitful in a Sentence

charged the store owner with such deceitful practices as inflating the list prices for items only so he could put them on sale at drastically reduced prices the deceitful salesman neglected to mention some important information about the used car
Recent Examples on the Web Most of her internal conflict centers on whether potential ends justify her deceitful means. Alison Herman, Variety, 17 Oct. 2024 It has been pillaged, wounded, dragged into an aggressive war, and turned into a prison run by the most unscrupulous and deceitful scoundrels. Alexei Navalny, The New Yorker, 11 Oct. 2024 No: California should end deceitful bond elections before lowering the vote threshold. The Mercury News/east Bay Times Editorial Boards, The Mercury News, 3 Oct. 2024 Despite his position and seeming authority, Jafar’s deceitful nature ultimately puts the kingdom at risk. Ashley Case, Forbes, 27 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for deceitful 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'deceitful.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

see deceit

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of deceitful was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near deceitful

Cite this Entry

“Deceitful.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/deceitful. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

deceitful

adjective
de·​ceit·​ful di-ˈsēt-fəl How to pronounce deceitful (audio)
1
: practicing or tending to practice trickery
2
: showing or containing deceit or fraud : deceptive
a deceitful answer
deceitfully adverb
deceitfulness
-fəl-nəs
noun

More from Merriam-Webster on deceitful

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