deception

noun

de·cep·tion | \ di-ˈsep-shən

Definition of deception

1a : the act of causing someone to accept as true or valid what is false or invalid : the act of deceiving resorting to falsehood and deception used deception to leak the classified information

b : the fact or condition of being deceived the deception of his audience

2 : something that deceives : trick fooled by a scam artist's clever deception

Other Words from deception Synonyms & Antonyms Choose the Right Synonym More Example Sentences Learn More about deception

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Choose the Right Synonym for deception

deception, fraud, double-dealing, subterfuge, trickery mean the acts or practices of one who deliberately deceives. deception may or may not imply blameworthiness, since it may suggest cheating or merely tactical resource. magicians are masters of deception fraud always implies guilt and often criminality in act or practice. indicted for fraud double-dealing suggests treachery or at least action contrary to a professed attitude. a go-between suspected of double-dealing subterfuge suggests the adoption of a stratagem or the telling of a lie in order to escape guilt or to gain an end. obtained the papers by subterfuge trickery implies ingenious acts intended to dupe or cheat. resorted to trickery to gain their ends

Examples of deception in a Sentence

She accuses the company of willful deception in its advertising. His many deceptions did not become known until years after he died.

Recent Examples on the Web

Colleges will still be liable for intentional deception. — The Editorial Board, WSJ, "DeVos’s Gainful Deregulation," 17 Aug. 2018 The journalist, 41-year-old Arkady Babchenko, apologized to all for the deception, first and foremost to his wife, Olga. — Mansur Mirovalev, latimes.com, "Back from the dead, Russian journalist stuns colleagues by turning up in Ukraine as authorities describe sting," 30 May 2018 Yet the initial deception is enabled by the internet’s core features: anonymity and user-generated content. — The Editorial Board, WSJ, "Reid Hoffman’s Fake News," 11 Jan. 2019 As a result, old company documents revealing the deception were made public. — Cheryl Wischhover, Vox, "Johnson & Johnson accused of hiding the asbestos in its baby powder for decades," 14 Dec. 2018 The simple deceptions of geography here are beguiling. — Horatio Clare, Condé Nast Traveler, "Why You Should Go to Belize Now," 21 Dec. 2018 When Missi googled Derek Alldred, half a dozen mug shots of Richie—Derek—popped up, alongside news articles with alarming phrases such as career con man and long history of deception. — Rachel Monroe, The Atlantic, "The Perfect Man Who Wasn't," 6 Mar. 2018 Enric Marco, now 97, photographed in 2005, shortly before his deception was exposed. — Mario Vargas Llosa, WSJ, "‘The Impostor’ Review: The Man Who Wasn’t There," 23 Aug. 2018 Victoria considered the entire affair a great deception and, according to Beatrice, did not speak to her youngest daughter from May of 1884 when the engagement was announced, to November of that year. — Lauren Hubbard, Town & Country, "What Was Queen Victoria Like as a Mother?," 13 Jan. 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'deception.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.