self-deceiving
Americanadjective
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subject to self-deception; tending to deceive or fool oneself.
a self-deceiving person.
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used in deceiving oneself, especially in justifying a false belief, a morally reprehensible act, or the like.
a self-deceiving argument.
Etymology
Origin of self-deceiving
First recorded in 1605–15
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.
Graham knew well, unlike a lot of self-deceiving senators, that he was never destined for the presidential game.
From Slate ● Jul. 14, 2026
And so, in a self-deceiving riposte, Mrs. Biden and her husband’s advisers repeated and repeated and repeated the exact opposite.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 4, 2026
Penn captures the beating heart of an inveterate explorer, at its most self-deceiving but also at its bravest and boldest.
From Washington Post ● Jul. 28, 2021
The kids here are smarter or less smart; more mature or naive; more honest or deceitful, or self-deceiving; wilder or more cautious.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 4, 2014
"Then I wash my hands of it all," cried the little self-deceiving caitiff; and he affected to have nothing to do with it.
From It Is Never Too Late to Mend by Reade, Charles
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.
