adj

deceitful

dih-SEET-fuul

Deceitful (adj) means Deliberately dishonest or misleading; inclined to trick or deceive others. Example: “He turned out to be a deceitful friend who had been lying for months.”

adj

Deliberately dishonest or misleading; inclined to trick or deceive others.

"He turned out to be a deceitful friend who had been lying for months."

"The advert made deceitful claims about the product's health benefits."

How to use deceitful

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishDescribes a person or action that is dishonest and meant to fool someone.

Common pairings

deceitful behaviour deceitful person deceitful and manipulative

Word forms

more deceitful comparative, most deceitful superlative

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He turned out to be a _____ friend who had been lying for months.

Etymology

From "deceit" + the suffix "-ful."

Rhymes for deceitful

fruitful

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Frequently asked questions

What does “deceitful” mean?

The word “deceitful” means deliberately dishonest or misleading; inclined to trick or deceive others. In plain terms, describes a person or action that is dishonest and meant to fool someone.

How do you pronounce “deceitful”?

“Deceitful” is pronounced dih-SEET-fuul (/dɪˈsiːtfʊl/ in IPA).

How do you use “deceitful” in a sentence?

Here is “deceitful” used in a sentence: “He turned out to be a deceitful friend who had been lying for months.”

What part of speech is “deceitful”?

“Deceitful” is an adjective.