deceit

noun

de·​ceit di-ˈsēt 

1

: the act of causing someone to accept as true or valid what is false or invalid : the act or practice of deceiving : deception

achieving one's goals through a web of deceit

2

: an attempt or device to deceive : trick

Her excuse turned out to be a deceit.

3

: the quality of being dishonest or misleading : the quality of being deceitful : deceitfulness

… far from deceit or guile.

—John Milton

Synonyms

• deception
• deceptiveness
• fraud
• deceitfulness
• cheating
• cunning

Examples of deceit in a Sentence

a rise to power that was marked by treachery and deceit

she's completely free of deceit

Recent Examples on the Web

Redford's career seemed to be shaped around the idea that the best qualities of the American spirit—maybe best defined as a kind of forthright, unassuming honesty—could prevail against corruption and deceit. —Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 16 Sep. 2025

Pratt’s operation involved luring women into pornography through deceit and coercion, with the content later shared online, according to prosecutors. —Real-Time News Team, Miami Herald, 15 Sep. 2025

Reed Sigmund delivers a tour de force as Silver, a scene-stealing bundle of charm, rage and deceit who displays a kind side to the boy that you can never be convinced is genuine. —Rob Hubbard, Twin Cities, 15 Sep. 2025

Many of the women who spoke Monday addressed that claim directly, saying they were tricked and coerced from the start and that the deceit went far beyond one lie about where the video would be distributed. —Alex Riggins, Mercury News, 9 Sep. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English deceite, from Anglo-French, from Latin decepta, feminine of deceptus, past participle of decipere — see deceive

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing deceit

• self-deceit

Rhymes for deceit

• amit
• athlete
• backseat
• blackfeet
• broadsheet
• browbeat
• buckwheat
• compete
• compleat
• complete
• conceit
• concrete

Kids Definition

deceit

noun

de·​ceit di-ˈsēt 

1

: the act or practice of deceiving : deception

2

: an attempt or scheme to deceive : trick

3

: the quality of being deceitful

Legal Definition

deceit

noun

de·​ceit

: deliberate and misleading concealment, false declaration, or artifice : deception

theft by deceit

also : the tort of committing or carrying out deceit

an action for deceit

see also fraud, misrepresentation