1
as in fraudulent
marked by, based on, or done by the use of dishonest methods to acquire something of value
double-dealing business practices that are being investigated by the state's attorney general
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in double
not being or expressing what one appears to be or express
the double-dealing salesman never told me that the car had been in an accident and repaired
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3
as in deceptive
given to or marked by cheating and deception
the double-dealing team owners were pitting the two cities against one another, both of whom badly wanted the franchise
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as in deception
the inclination or practice of misleading others through lies or trickery
a go-between suspected of double-dealing
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of double-dealing
Erik Kain, Forbes, 2 Oct. 2024
Making his Broadway debut, Burr is a cyclone as the fast-talking, double-dealing Dave Moss, who springs a plan to steal the leads on his unwilling accomplice, George Aaronow (McKean, drolly exasperated).
—Patrick Ryan, USA Today, 1 Apr. 2025
Mullen's righthand man, Roger Carlson (Jesse Plemons), was double-dealing with billionaire Robert Lyndon (Clark Gregg), who ultimately ordered a hit on him in Episode 4.
—Patrick Ryan, USA TODAY, 23 Feb. 2025
Through his double-dealing with the government, Carmine Falcone was Gotham’s top crime boss for over two decades, accruing massive wealth, political influence, and an elite status.
—Chris O'Falt, IndieWire, 21 Oct. 2024
While the Biden Administration seems to perceive Cambodia as an amenable partner, Manet is double-dealing Beijing and Washington.
—Sam Rainsy, TIME, 24 June 2024
Downey’s performance, equal parts subtly scented aftershave and snake oil, is a double-dealing marvel.
—Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 19 July 2023
Having a computer be the antagonistic heart of the film instead of a human baddie is a huge swing, though, and consequently this first of a two-part story line faces some narrative obstacles amid the usual face-swapping, double-dealing spycraft.
—Brian Truitt, USA TODAY, 5 July 2023
Dive into these series for the thrill of family backstabbing, corporate double-dealing or simply for the maladjusted — and wealthy and/or powerful — bringing out the worst in one another, typically (except for a few aspirational exceptions).
—Etan Vlessing, The Hollywood Reporter, 10 June 2023
Noun
Far from being some dastardly act of espionage and double-dealing, Cartwright made his fateful choice out of love.
—Erik Kain, Forbes, 2 Oct. 2024
Making his Broadway debut, Burr is a cyclone as the fast-talking, double-dealing Dave Moss, who springs a plan to steal the leads on his unwilling accomplice, George Aaronow (McKean, drolly exasperated).
—Patrick Ryan, USA Today, 1 Apr. 2025
Mullen's righthand man, Roger Carlson (Jesse Plemons), was double-dealing with billionaire Robert Lyndon (Clark Gregg), who ultimately ordered a hit on him in Episode 4.
—Patrick Ryan, USA TODAY, 23 Feb. 2025
Through his double-dealing with the government, Carmine Falcone was Gotham’s top crime boss for over two decades, accruing massive wealth, political influence, and an elite status.
—Chris O'Falt, IndieWire, 21 Oct. 2024
While the Biden Administration seems to perceive Cambodia as an amenable partner, Manet is double-dealing Beijing and Washington.
—Sam Rainsy, TIME, 24 June 2024
Downey’s performance, equal parts subtly scented aftershave and snake oil, is a double-dealing marvel.
—Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 19 July 2023
Having a computer be the antagonistic heart of the film instead of a human baddie is a huge swing, though, and consequently this first of a two-part story line faces some narrative obstacles amid the usual face-swapping, double-dealing spycraft.
—Brian Truitt, USA TODAY, 5 July 2023
Dive into these series for the thrill of family backstabbing, corporate double-dealing or simply for the maladjusted — and wealthy and/or powerful — bringing out the worst in one another, typically (except for a few aspirational exceptions).
—Etan Vlessing, The Hollywood Reporter, 10 June 2023
Recent Examples of Synonyms for double-dealing
Adjective
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On May 30, 2025, a Pennsylvania federal court refused NFL player agent Todd France’s request to vacate a December 2023 arbitration decision which ordered France to pay over $800,000 in damages to rival agent Jason Bernstein and which excoriated France for fraudulent conduct.—
Chris Deubert,
Forbes.com,
31 May 2025
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The couple were convicted of conspiring to defraud community banks out of more than $30 million in fraudulent loans as well as tax evasion and sentenced to 12 and seven years, respectively.—
Brie Stimson,
FOXNews.com,
30 May 2025
Adjective
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She was born in Massachusetts to Nigerian immigrants and, as a teen, was an exceptional figure skater: one who could land double axels with a practiced ease that betrayed the intense commitment behind them.—
Daron James,
Los Angeles Times,
29 May 2025
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As Spain’s only double Oscar-qualifying animation festival, Animayo’s top honors serve as a launchpad to the Academy Awards.—
Jamie Lang,
Variety,
29 May 2025
Adjective
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Last year, the Biden administration's Transportation Department opened an inquiry ordering American, Delta Air Lines, Southwest and United to provide records and submit reports to ensure consumers do not face unfair, deceptive, or anticompetitive practices.—
David Shepardson,
USA Today,
3 June 2025
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The quest to build human-level AI agents using techniques known to produce deceptive tendencies, Bengio says, is comparable to a car speeding down a narrow mountain road, with steep cliffs on either side, and thick fog obscuring the path ahead.—
Harry Booth,
Time,
3 June 2025
Noun
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But these seductions or deceptions are canceled when the work confronts us with the photographic records of the performative procedure itself—and not only by making the photograph an integral component, the dialectical complement to the material sculptural production.—
Benjamin H. D. Buchloh,
Artforum,
1 June 2025
-
He’s got some deception on the puck and does a good job holding onto it to wait for secondary options to open up, but slows the game down too much.—
Scott Wheeler,
New York Times,
29 May 2025
Adjective
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Harvard’s dishonest expert on honesty is a poignant symbol of a far larger problem in academia: ideological allegiance replacing the quest for truth.—
Andrew Follett,
National Review,
31 May 2025
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On one hand, the inquiry appeared to play into his rivals’ criticisms of Mr. Cuomo as a dishonest broker, who has been accused of putting nursing home residents at risk during the coronavirus pandemic and seeking to cover it up.—
Nicholas Fandos,
New York Times,
21 May 2025
Adjective
-
There’s a backdrop of fake news and collective anxiety.—
Zac Ntim,
Deadline,
5 June 2025
-
Federal agents concluded that many of the documents, which were turned over by an attorney representing the restaurant, were fake or falsified, according to the warrant.—
Roxana Popescu,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
4 June 2025
Adjective
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Patti LuPone had a shady reaction to questions about Audra McDonald in a new interview.—
Joey Nolfi Published,
EW.com,
27 May 2025
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Simple Deluxe 9-foot Patio Umbrella and 50-pound Base Add a shady spot to your sunny patio space with this nine-foot umbrella that comes with a base that can be filled with up to 50 pounds of sand or water.—
Olivia Young,
Travel + Leisure,
26 May 2025
Noun
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None of these spring explorations of sisterly deceit and self-deception has been able to surpass Apple TV+’s Bad Sisters as the recent genre peak.—
Daniel Fienberg,
HollywoodReporter,
28 May 2025
-
Starring Tom Cruise, the movies are loaded with action, deceit and globe-spanning adventures – everything a good spy film should be.—
Keith Langston,
People.com,
24 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Double-dealing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/double-dealing. Accessed 10 Jun. 2025.
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