duplicity

noun

du̇-ˈpli-sə-tē How to pronounce duplicity (audio)
Definition of duplicitynext
as in deception
the inclination or practice of misleading others through lies or trickery we were lucky not to be taken in by his duplicity

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 duplicity Yun-ji’s public confession reveals Chang-ho’s duplicity and allows Noori a chance to shine on its own. — Kayti Burt, Time, 29 May 2026 Colbert excelled at distilling the spin and duplicity of politics into memorable soundbites. — Sophia A. McClennen, The Conversation, 19 May 2026 Diplomacy and the pragmatic duplicity that sometimes accompanies it are ingrained at every level of Iran’s political class. — Nic Robertson, CNN Money, 23 Apr. 2026 Ben reports on the crypto industry, a sector where the lines between reality, hope, and duplicity can blur in strange ways. — Alexei Oreskovic, Fortune, 3 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for duplicity
Recent Examples of Synonyms for duplicity
  1. deception
  2. deceit
  3. deceptiveness
  4. fraud
  5. deceitfulness
  6. cheating
  7. cunning
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
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
Noun
  • 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
  • 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
Definition of deceptiveness
Noun
  • Made false claims of massive fraud of millions of undocumented people voting.
    — Mathew Miranda, Sacbee.com, 17 July 2026
  • The consignor was later identified as an accomplice in a separate auction fraud case in Hebei province.
    — Tessa Solomon, ARTnews.com, 17 July 2026
Definition of fraud
Noun
  • Antisocial personality includes a persistent pattern of traits such as callousness, lack of concern, deceitfulness, and irresponsibility, Ryan said.
    — Harriet Ramos, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 29 Apr. 2026
  • 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
Definition of deceitfulness
Noun
  • Owning The Design Choice Faculty often describe the AI cheating problem as something happening to them.
    — Terry Oroszi, Forbes.com, 22 July 2026
  • Despite multiple requests from test takers and lawmakers, the DMV has not provided any details about the nature of the alleged cheating, and some of those who must take the test over feel like they’ve been unfairly accused.
    — Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 16 July 2026
Definition of cheating
Noun
  • The Odysseus of legend is known for his cunning and his eloquence.
    — Hillary Busis, Vanity Fair, 15 July 2026
  • In Argentina, and by Maradona, it was celebrated for its cunning.
    — Nick Miller, New York Times, 14 July 2026
Definition of cunning

Browse Nearby Words

duplicitous
duplicity
durabilities
See all Nearby Words

Podcast

Cite this Entry

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

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on duplicity

Nglish: Translation of duplicity for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of itinerant

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Democracy or Republic: What's the difference?

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Do you 'say your piece' or 'say your peace'?

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

The Longest Long Words List

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

The Words of the Week - Jul 24

Why do we say 'fly off the handle'?
See More

Popular

See More

Democracy or Republic: What's the difference?

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
chain-question-mark
Missing Link Quiz July 2026 Five seconds to figure out the word that fits bot...
See All