self-deception

[self-di-sep-shuhn, self-]

noun

1. the act or fact of deceiving oneself.

self-deception

noun

1. the act or an instance of deceiving oneself, esp as to the true nature of one's feelings or motives

Other Word Forms

• self-deceptive adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of self-deception¹

First recorded in 1670–80

Example Sentences

In the album’s opener, “Hope Less,” she wonders how far she might be willing to go to accommodate a lover’s neglect; “Good Liar” examines the self-deception necessary to keep putting up with it.

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This seems to be more of a problem than he’s admitting, and it’s not the only self-deception he practices.

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To not see this for what it is can be attributed to being naïve and gullible, to self-deception by outright denial, or to being complicit.

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Anything that we’re afraid of that isn’t happening now is a self-deception.

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The way Madison leans into Ani’s audacity while revealing the fragile façade, the vulnerabilities and self-deception lurking underneath, is phenomenal.

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Related Words

• deception 
• fantasy 
• hallucination 
• illusion 
• pipe dream