deceit

noun

de·​ceit di-ˈsēt 

1

: the act of causing someone to accept as true or valid what is false or invalid : the act or practice of deceiving : deception

achieving one's goals through a web of deceit

2

: an attempt or device to deceive : trick

Her excuse turned out to be a deceit.

3

: the quality of being dishonest or misleading : the quality of being deceitful : deceitfulness

… far from deceit or guile.

—John Milton

Synonyms of deceit

• deception
• deceptiveness
• fraud
• deceitfulness
• cheating
• cunning

Examples of deceit in a Sentence

a rise to power that was marked by treachery and deceit

she's completely free of deceit

Recent Examples on the Web

There was money, manipulation, secret meetings with shady characters in China, fake identities, lies, trickery, and deceit. — Eamon Javers, CNBC, 30 Sep. 2026

Its Emmy success, and Rhys’s record-setting win along with it, is built on a foundation of deceit. — Kathryn Vanarendonk, Vulture, 25 Sep. 2026

Each season, The Traitors brings together a group of people for a game of deceit, separating the cast into faithfuls and traitors who must try to figure out who is who. — Hannah Dailey, Billboard, 18 Sep. 2026

Their topics include the limits of authenticity and how to grasp understanding in a world awash in deceit. — Christopher Coffman, The Conversation, 24 Aug. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English deceite, from Anglo-French, from Latin decepta, feminine of deceptus, past participle of decipere — see deceive

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing deceit

• self-deceit

Rhymes for deceit

• amit
• athlete
• backseat
• blackfeet
• broadsheet
• browbeat
• buckwheat
• compete
• compleat
• complete
• conceit
• concrete

Kids Definition

deceit

noun

de·​ceit di-ˈsēt 

1

: the act or practice of deceiving : deception

2

: an attempt or scheme to deceive : trick

3

: the quality of being deceitful

Legal Definition

deceit

noun

de·​ceit

: deliberate and misleading concealment, false declaration, or artifice : deception

theft by deceit

also : the tort of committing or carrying out deceit

an action for deceit

see also fraud, misrepresentation