self-deceived
Americanadjective
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holding an erroneous opinion of oneself, one's own effort, or the like.
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being mistaken, forming an erroneous judgment, etc., in one's own mind, as from careless or wishful thinking.
If you thought my friendship was love, you were self-deceived.
Etymology
Origin of self-deceived
First recorded in 1665–75
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
When they are not merely self-deceived, Strout’s characters struggle with isolation and despair.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 5, 2026
Maybe I’m no less self-deceived than anyone else.
From The New Yorker ● Oct. 28, 2019
We know Mumler was a fraud, but we don’t know what kind of fraud — self-deceived true believer, confidence man or both?
From New York Times ● Nov. 2, 2017
His observations are not always adequate to his ultrasophisticated posture; hence the posture; sometimes looks a little self-deceived.
From Time Magazine Archive
Rarely, however, does the self-deceived author of such slovenly work deceive his audience.
From Dramatic Technique by Baker, George Pierce
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
