DOUBLE-DEALINGS Synonyms: 229 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How does the noun 'double-dealing' differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of double-dealing are deception , fraud , subterfuge , and trickery . While all these words mean "the acts or practices of one who deliberately deceives," double-dealing suggests treachery or at least action contrary to a professed attitude. // a go-between suspected of double-dealing

Q: When might 'deception' be a better fit than 'double-dealing'?

The meanings of deception and double-dealing largely overlap; however, deception may or may not imply blameworthiness, since it may suggest cheating or merely tactical resource. // magicians are masters of deception

Q: When is 'fraud' a more appropriate choice than 'double-dealing'?

While in some cases nearly identical to double-dealing , fraud always implies guilt and often criminality in act or practice. // indicted for fraud

Q: When could 'subterfuge' be used to replace 'double-dealing'?

The synonyms subterfuge and double-dealing are sometimes interchangeable, but 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

Q: When would 'trickery' be a good substitute for 'double-dealing'?

In some situations, the words trickery and double-dealing are roughly equivalent. However, trickery implies ingenious acts intended to dupe or cheat. // resorted to trickery to gain their ends

double-dealing 1 of 2

adjective

Definition of double-dealing

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

double-dealing

2 of 2

noun

ˌdə-bəl-ˈdē-liŋ

as in deception

the inclination or practice of misleading others through lies or trickery a go-between suspected of double-dealing

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun double-dealing differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of double-dealing are deception, fraud, subterfuge, and trickery. While all these words mean "the acts or practices of one who deliberately deceives," double-dealing suggests treachery or at least action contrary to a professed attitude.

a go-between suspected of double-dealing

When might deception be a better fit than double-dealing?

The meanings of deception and double-dealing largely overlap; however, deception may or may not imply blameworthiness, since it may suggest cheating or merely tactical resource.

magicians are masters of deception

When is fraud a more appropriate choice than double-dealing?

While in some cases nearly identical to double-dealing, fraud always implies guilt and often criminality in act or practice.

indicted for fraud

When could subterfuge be used to replace double-dealing?

The synonyms subterfuge and double-dealing are sometimes interchangeable, but 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

When would trickery be a good substitute for double-dealing?

In some situations, the words trickery and double-dealing are roughly equivalent. However, trickery implies ingenious acts intended to dupe or cheat.

resorted to trickery to gain their ends

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 double-dealing

Adjective

The notion of reputational damage is alien to someone whose image was long ago tarnished beyond repair by grifting, lying, bullying, and double-dealing. — Eliot A. Cohen, The Atlantic, 19 Jan. 2026

Noun

For some of King’s followers, her double-dealing also is difficult to let go. — Martha Ross, Mercury News, 28 May 2026 But that rhetoric sounded hollow in the face of its dalliance with a drug-smuggling double-dealing despot like Noriega. — Time, 25 Nov. 2025 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 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 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

Recent Examples of Synonyms for double-dealing

Adjective

Under federal law, persons who 'knowingly and willfully … make any materially false, fictitious, or fraudulent statement or representation' to Congress may be subject to penalties.

— Garrett Downs, CNBC, 23 July 2026
Mind you, Miss Manners agrees with your indignation at this fraudulent maneuver.

— Judith Martin, Mercury News, 21 July 2026

Definition of fraudulent

Adjective

Southern Louisiana was under tropical storm and extreme heat warnings for much of Wednesday — a rare double dose of suffering, the National Weather Service said.

— ABC News, ABC News, 23 July 2026
Two separate three-bed guest houses, one with its own pool, offer privacy within privacy, while the commanding 1,300-square-meter (13,993 square feet) six-bed main house spreads the double wings of its terracotta roofs in sheltering fashion.

— Donna Hardie-Scott, Forbes.com, 22 July 2026

Definition of double

Adjective

At 6ft 3in (190cm) with unconventional movement mechanics, he is likened to Liverpool forward Hugo Ekitike for his deceptive play.

— Jordan Campbell, New York Times, 22 July 2026
Distinguished by unique morphological features like a longer tail and specific tooth structure, alongside genetic evidence, the stingray's identification underscores the complexity of taxonomy where appearances can be deceptive.

— Melissa Cristina Márquez, Forbes.com, 22 July 2026

Definition of deceptive

Noun

Yes, a bit of deception has long been standard in listing photos — a wide lens, a bit of color saturation to make a viewless window appear brighter — but the tools today are more sophisticated, cheaper, and pretty ubiquitous.

— Matthew Sedacca, Curbed, 21 July 2026
Nolan reinvents him as a naive young soldier left outside the horse to sell Odysseus’ deception.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 21 July 2026

Definition of deception

Adjective

But 52% of employees in that same study believe their company's efforts to be empathetic are dishonest.

— Dennis Kozak, Forbes.com, 20 July 2026
The state agency said clinic staffers had clients sign a personal injury waiver, which the commission said was unenforceable, against public policy and deceptive and dishonest.

— Ashley Hiruko, ProPublica, 8 July 2026

Definition of dishonest

Adjective

Multiple schools are at the center of incidents in which teens are facing legal consequences for generating fake explicit images of their classmates.

— Avni Trivedi, CNN Money, 21 July 2026
Gen Alphas seem to know almost immediately when something is fake, overproduced, delayed or culturally disconnected, which is why the strongest content right now often feels chaotic.

— Kelly Samuel, Forbes.com, 21 July 2026

Definition of fake

Adjective

Debbie, named after Coates’ mother, feels betrayed by Judith and her husband, who is involved in shady dealings with an Albanian gang.

— Emily Zemler, Los Angeles Times, 16 July 2026
But the story about the war hero Odysseus, whose journey home with his men is beset by sea storms, shipwrecks, gods, monsters and shady ladies, set the template for literature, comic books, science fiction and Hollywood epics for centuries to come.

— Jim Beckerman, USA Today, 16 July 2026

Definition of shady

Noun

Had those industries spoken plainly about the dangers of their products, their motives would rightly have been scrutinized—but the candor itself would have been preferable to years of deceit.

— Harry Booth, Time, 17 July 2026
The one where a man, his mother, and his entire army are slaughtered by deceit?

— Brian Moylan, Vulture, 16 July 2026

Definition of deceit

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double-dealers

double-dealing

doubled (in)

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“Double-dealing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/double-dealing. Accessed 24 Jul. 2026.

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