deceit
dih-SEET
Deceit (noun) means the act of deliberately misleading someone; a trick or lie meant to fool someone. Example: “He got the promotion through flattery and deceit.”
noun
1
The act of deliberately misleading someone; a trick or lie meant to fool someone.
"He got the promotion through flattery and deceit."
"She felt betrayed when she discovered his deceit."
2
In law, a false statement made knowingly or recklessly to trick someone into relying on it, causing them harm.
"The buyer sued the seller for deceit after learning the car's mileage had been faked."
How to use deceit
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishDishonesty aimed at tricking someone — lying, misleading, or scheming.
Common mistake
Don't confuse with "deceipt" (not a word) or with "conceit" (excessive pride), which looks and sounds similar but means something completely different.
Easily confused with
Common pairings
full of deceit
through deceit
an act of deceit
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Word forms
- Plural
- deceits
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
He got the promotion through flattery and _____.
Etymology
From Old French deceite, from decevoir ("to deceive"), ultimately from Latin decipere, "to catch out, cheat."
Synonyms
View more →
dissembling
deception
misrepresentation
deceitfulness
deceptiveness
dissimulation
duplicity
fraudulence
fraudulency
trickery
perfidy
underhandedness
Antonyms
Related words
Rhymes for deceit
See all rhymes for deceit →Frequently asked questions
What does “deceit” mean?
The word “deceit” means the act of deliberately misleading someone; a trick or lie meant to fool someone. In plain terms, dishonesty aimed at tricking someone — lying, misleading, or scheming.
How do you pronounce “deceit”?
“Deceit” is pronounced dih-SEET (/dɪˈsiːt/ in IPA).
How do you use “deceit” in a sentence?
Here is “deceit” used in a sentence: “He got the promotion through flattery and deceit.”
What is another word for “deceit”?
Words with a similar meaning to “deceit” include deceitfulness, deceptiveness, dissimulation, duplicity, fraudulence and fraudulency.
What part of speech is “deceit”?
“Deceit” is a noun.
Where does the word “deceit” come from?
The word “deceit” comes from Latin. From Old French deceite, from decevoir ("to deceive"), ultimately from Latin decipere, "to catch out, cheat.".
Is “deceit” a common word?
“Deceit” is an uncommon word in modern English, usually learned at around the C1 level.
How many meanings does “deceit” have?
“Deceit” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: the act of deliberately misleading someone; a trick or lie meant to fool someone.
