1
as in deception
the inclination or practice of misleading others through lies or trickery
a rise to power that was marked by treachery and deceit
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2
as in deceitfulness
the tendency to tell lies
she's completely free of deceit
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of deceit
She has now been sentenced to federal prison to pay for her deceit.
—
Dan Raby, CBS News, 27 Feb. 2026
Drama, deceit, and fierce gameplay are the hallmarks of each episode.
—Alison McDermott, Architectural Digest, 19 Feb. 2026
Such deceit is incompatible with public service.
—Diana Paulsen, ABC News, 6 Feb. 2026
These are just some of the most prominent, powerful bootlickers stumbling right now on their own deceit and desperation.
—Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 26 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for deceit
Dan Raby, CBS News, 27 Feb. 2026
Drama, deceit, and fierce gameplay are the hallmarks of each episode.
—Alison McDermott, Architectural Digest, 19 Feb. 2026
Such deceit is incompatible with public service.
—Diana Paulsen, ABC News, 6 Feb. 2026
These are just some of the most prominent, powerful bootlickers stumbling right now on their own deceit and desperation.
—Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 26 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for deceit
Recent Examples of Synonyms for deceit
Noun
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In 2024, North Korea claimed to have successfully testlaunched a multiwarhead missile, but South Korea quickly dismissed it as deception to cover up a failed launch.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
30 Mar. 2026
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These include debt bondage, restriction of movement, withholding of wages, excessive overtime, physical violence, surveillance, deception, isolation, abuse of vulnerability and abusive conditions.—
Efrat Lachter,
FOXNews.com,
29 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Perfidy — from the French perfidie via the Latin perfidia — means deceitfulness, treachery or a breach of faith or promise.—
Harmeet Kaur,
CNN Money,
21 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Of course, the retort is that this would be irritating and exasperating to be continually deluged with alerts about AI deceptiveness.—
Lance Eliot,
Forbes.com,
24 Aug. 2025
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Beyond the deceptiveness of the narrow material view, spiritual light and hope are always present to be found and felt.—
Sue Brightman,
Christian Science Monitor,
3 Jan. 2025
Noun
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Another 24% of participants cited poor leadership, dishonesty and personal dislikes as their reason for disapproving.—
JT Moodee Lockman,
CBS News,
1 Apr. 2026
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Her cross-examination — with its rapid-fire accusations, caustic tone and presumption of dishonesty — had felt eerily familiar after years of verbal abuse.—
Pamela Colloff,
ProPublica,
24 Mar. 2026
Noun
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The leader of the Ex-Slave Pension Association was later imprisoned on mail fraud charges, and the organization faded away, while the Eagles became one of the pressure groups that eventually led to Social Security.—
Trevor Jackson,
The New York Review of Books,
4 Apr. 2026
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At first, the attention became so intense that Bravo was removed from the televisions inside the minimum-security camp, where Shah was serving her sentence for her role in a nationwide telemarketing fraud scheme.—
Dave Quinn,
PEOPLE,
3 Apr. 2026
Noun
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There seems to be a widespread perception that musicians who use artificial intelligence are engaged in a form of cheating.—
Kelefa Sanneh,
New Yorker,
30 Mar. 2026
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There is no rampant cheating or election fraud in California.—
Mark Z. Barabak,
Mercury News,
26 Mar. 2026
Noun
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The Brazil international combines technical craft with a decisive cunning.—
Carl Anka,
New York Times,
21 Mar. 2026
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But Muck is no Epstein, malevolent and cunning.—
Spencer Kornhaber,
The Atlantic,
2 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Deceit.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deceit. Accessed 4 Apr. 2026.
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