deceit

noun

de·​ceit di-ˈsēt 

1

: the act of causing someone to accept as true or valid what is false or invalid : the act or practice of deceiving : deception

achieving one's goals through a web of deceit

2

: an attempt or device to deceive : trick

Her excuse turned out to be a deceit.

3

: the quality of being dishonest or misleading : the quality of being deceitful : deceitfulness

… far from deceit or guile.

—John Milton

Synonyms

• artifice
• cheating
• cozenage
• craft
• craftiness
• crookedness
• crookery
• cunning
• cunningness
• deceitfulness
• deception
• deceptiveness
• dishonesty
• dissembling
• dissimulation
• double-dealing
• dupery
• duplicity
• fakery
• foxiness
• fraud
• guile
• guilefulness
• wiliness

Examples of deceit in a Sentence

a rise to power that was marked by treachery and deceit

she's completely free of deceit

Recent Examples on the Web

In the forthcoming season, fans of the nail-biting series can anticipate Selling Sunset’s Chrishell Stause, Britney Spears’ ex Sam Asghari, and Zac Efron’s younger brother Dylan to compete in a game of skill and deceit. —Kalia Richardson, Rolling Stone, 18 Dec. 2024

Meanwhile, the Ukrainian government is trying to urge the nation to continue the struggle, even as its officials at all levels engage in corruption and deceit. —Daniel R. Depetris, Newsweek, 13 Dec. 2024

Accusations of Taylor Swift lying amplified the backlash—soon the snake emoji representing deceit and manipulation, became synonymous with her name on social media. —Jeetendr Sehdev, Forbes, 9 Dec. 2024

Slater’s mansion is terra-cotta red, which in cinematic color theory signals danger and lust; the snakes on the island are yellow, for sickness and deceit. —Sophie Gilbert, The Atlantic, 6 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English deceite, from Anglo-French, from Latin decepta, feminine of deceptus, past participle of decipere — see deceive

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing deceit

• self-deceit

Kids Definition

deceit

noun

de·​ceit di-ˈsēt 

1

: the act or practice of deceiving : deception

2

: an attempt or scheme to deceive : trick

3

: the quality of being deceitful

Legal Definition

deceit

noun

de·​ceit

: deliberate and misleading concealment, false declaration, or artifice : deception

theft by deceit

also : the tort of committing or carrying out deceit

an action for deceit

see also fraud, misrepresentation