Advertisement
Advertisement
deceitful
[ dih-seet-fuhl ]
deceitful
/ dɪˈsiːtfʊl /
adjective
- full of deceit
Discover More
Derived Forms
- deˈceitfully, adverb
- deˈceitfulness, noun
Discover More
Other Words From
- de·ceitful·ly adverb
- de·ceitful·ness noun
- unde·ceitful adjective
Discover More
Word History and Origins
Origin of deceitful1
Discover More
Example Sentences
Jenkins attempted to cooperate with the federal government but was deemed manipulative and deceitful.
For the Netflix adaptation, there were bumps in the road beyond the public uncovering of Mallory’s deceitful nature.
The McDermott case is a symptom of a complex college disease, one that values the program over the kids who sweat to maintain it, one that keeps profiting off deceitful, paternalistic attitudes about raising young athletic phenoms.
In one scene, she’s being pummeled by a deceitful and financially abusive lover.
In an interview with Fortune, Levchin reiterated his familiar mantra that the credit card industry is deceitful and immoral, and that Affirm offers a way to provide consumers credit with dignity.
As a hunter with many guns, I despise these bullies and their deceitful shams of wildlife protection.
It also put a target on his back, and Fleck complained about what he described as a “vicious… deceitful and… personal” campaign.
The Bar determined his failure to inform his client was both dishonest and deceitful.
For years, law-enforcement officials have relied on facial and body language to determine when someone is being deceitful.
Already, Ron Paul has ads up branding Rick Santorum a deceitful, cash-grabbing dirtbag and “serial hypocrite.”
It was at this parliament that the famous acts against horse racing and deceitful gaming were passed.
The hopes of a man that is void of understanding are vain and deceitful: and dreams lift up fools.
Avoid affectation; it is the sure test of a deceitful, vulgar mind.
Destroyed!I feel all hope and all desire depart,For life and its deceitful joys.Forever rest!
It is the offspring of a sickly taste, a deceitful heart, and a sure proof of low breeding.
Advertisement
Discover More
Related Words
Discover More
More About Deceitful
What does deceitful mean?
Deceitful means intended to or tending to deceive—to lie, mislead, or otherwise hide or distort the truth.
The noun deceit most commonly refers to the act or practice of deceiving, but it can also refer to the quality of someone or something that deceives. A deceitful person can be said to be full of deceit.
Deceitful can describe people, their actions, or something that deceives or is intended to deceive, as in It was a deceitful plan from the beginning. The word deceptive has a very similar meaning, but it’s typically applied to actions or practices, as in deceptive business practices.
Being deceitful doesn’t just involve lying. It can consist of misrepresenting or omitting the truth or more complicated cover-ups. Anything that involves intentionally misleading someone is deceitful.
Words like deceit and deceitful often imply a pattern of behavior, rather than a one-time act.
Example: I’m sick of how deceitful you are—I can’t trust anything you say!
Where does deceitful come from?
The first records of the word deceitful come from the 1400s. Its base word, deceit, comes from the Old French verb deceivre, meaning “to deceive.” Deceit and related words like deceive and deception ultimately derive from the Latin verb dēcipere, meaning “to ensnare” (in the literal sense of trapping someone or an animal).
Things described as deceitful include attempts to mislead or trick someone or trap them with a deceptive scheme. Being deceitful always involves deceiving someone, but it may not involve outright lying. Some forms of deceit involve concealing the truth or simply omitting the truth. Just because you didn’t lie doesn’t mean you weren’t deceitful.
Did you know ... ?
What are some other forms related to deceitful?
- deceitfully (adverb)
- deceitfulness (noun)
- deceit (noun)
What are some synonyms for deceitful?
What are some words that share a root or word element with deceitful?
What are some words that often get used in discussing deceitful?
How is deceitful used in real life?
Deceitful and deceptive are often used to mean the same thing, but deceptive is less likely to be used to describe a person and more likely to describe an action or practice. Deceitful can be used in all kinds of contexts, though of course it is common in political discussion.
Have you noticed how tiring it is to watch people being casually deceitful?
— Christine Burns MBE 🧜♀️🏳️⚧️🏳️🌈📚⧖ (@christineburns) December 9, 2020
The concept behind borrower defense is simple: students shouldn’t have to pay loans based on lies and other deceitful practices. – @jameskvaal @TICAS_org #DefendBorrowers pic.twitter.com/Vzvg9oT0zU
— AFT (@AFTunion) January 16, 2020
how does one sleep at night lying that much & being so deceitful.. just sad
— alesia4shizzle (@alesia4shizzle) November 21, 2020
Try using deceitful!
Which of the following words is NOT a synonym of deceitful?
A. duplicitous
B. deceptive
C. descriptive
D. dishonest
Word of the Day
[tawr-choo-uhs ]
Meaning and examplesStart each day with the Word of the Day in your inbox!
By clicking "Sign Up", you are accepting Dictionary.com Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policies.
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Browse