1
as in fraudulent
marked by, based on, or done by the use of dishonest methods to acquire something of value charged the store owner with such deceitful practices as inflating the list prices for items only so he could put them on sale at drastically reduced prices

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective deceitful differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of deceitful are dishonest, mendacious, and untruthful. While all these words mean "unworthy of trust or belief," deceitful usually implies an intent to mislead and commonly suggests a false appearance or double-dealing.

the secret affairs of a deceitful spouse

When would dishonest be a good substitute for deceitful?

In some situations, the words dishonest and deceitful are roughly equivalent. However, dishonest implies a willful perversion of truth in order to deceive, cheat, or defraud.

a swindle usually involves two dishonest people

Where would mendacious be a reasonable alternative to deceitful?

The meanings of mendacious and deceitful largely overlap; however, mendacious may suggest bland or even harmlessly mischievous deceit and when used of people often suggests a habit of telling untruths.

mendacious tales of adventure

When might untruthful be a better fit than deceitful?

While the synonyms untruthful and deceitful are close in meaning, untruthful stresses a discrepancy between what is said and fact or reality.

an untruthful account of their actions

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of deceitful Everybody’s playing, everybody’s being deceitful, and Matthew isn’t the worst. William Earl, Variety, 22 Aug. 2025 This newsletter, Translating Politics, was created to help readers sift through Donald Trump’s always chaotic and often deceitful rhetoric during his second term as president. Chris Brennan, USA Today, 14 Aug. 2025 Wood did not know the details of the deceitful story that scammers told the man. Susan Tompor, Freep.com, 10 July 2025 Supporters say the measures are intended to address potential threats to public safety or personal privacy and to counter any deceitful actions facilitated by AI, while not hindering innovation. Chicago Tribune, 7 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for deceitful
Recent Examples of Synonyms for deceitful
Adjective
  • Throughout the enrollment process, there was no reason to believe the official birth certificate was fraudulent.
    Marni Rose McFall, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Oct. 2025
  • One plaintiff claimed their debit card was allegedly used for $80 in fraudulent charges.
    Chase Jordan October 2, Charlotte Observer, 2 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • Specifically, the four customers argued that Hershey's violated Florida Deceptive And Unfair Trade Practices Act, which is designed to protect Floridians from unfair competition, deceptive acts and unethical practices.
    Greta Cross, USA Today, 26 Sep. 2025
  • In recent years, users have increasingly been taking to court to challenge allegedly deceptive practices by Amazon.
    Winston Cho, HollywoodReporter, 25 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • No wonder de Lesseps became a national pariah whose name was synonymous with dishonest incompetence.
    U T Editorial Board, San Diego Union-Tribune, 19 Sep. 2025
  • These are cheap, dishonest shots against a great intellect, acknowledged by friends and opponents alike.
    James Gaylord, Oc Register, 15 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Despite these accounts, Day offered a very different picture in an opinion piece published by The Oregonian on Sunday, arguing that national media coverage of Portland and its police paint a misleading and outdated picture.
    Greg Wehner, FOXNews.com, 6 Oct. 2025
  • The apparent protective effect of dopamine agonist drugs could also be misleading.
    Maria Morava, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • Evaluating defamation claims where the report contains demonstrably false factual assertions.
    Tim Reynolds, Fortune, 3 Oct. 2025
  • However, as several independent experts interviewed by NPR note, that claim is false.
    Scott Neuman, NPR, 3 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Deceitful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deceitful. Accessed 9 Oct. 2025.

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