self-deceived
Americanadjective
-
holding an erroneous opinion of oneself, one's own effort, or the like.
-
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
Beatrice and Benedick are self-deceived in that they believe their heads can sternly rule their hearts.
From Time Magazine Archive
It can be saved only by assuming that he was self-deceived; that he sincerely believed himself to be God, but was blinded and held fast by his own mistaken concept.
From Christ, Christianity and the Bible by Haldeman, Isaac Massey
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.
