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Synonyms

self-deception

American  
[self-di-sep-shuhn, self-] / ˈsɛlf dɪˈsɛp ʃən, ˌsɛlf- /

noun

  1. the act or fact of deceiving oneself.

self-deception British  

noun

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

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

  • self-deceptive adjective

Etymology

Origin of self-deception

First recorded in 1670–80

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.

His research ranged from the evolutionary dimension of human altruism to the logic of deceit and self-deception.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 26, 2026

Fairy In A Bottle is a glorious bruise of a song, all about Alon's capacity for self-deception: "I want to worship you before the hope expires."

From BBC • Sep. 10, 2025

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

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 14, 2025

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.

From Salon • Feb. 26, 2025

To ignore this science is to engage in self-deception, to tell ourselves a lie.

From "A Deadly Wandering: A Mystery, a Landmark Investigation, and the Astonishing Science of Attention in the Digital Age" by Matt Richtel

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.