deception
nounUK /dɪˈsɛpʃən/
Etymology From Middle English decepcioun, from Old French decepcion, from Latin dēcipiō (“to deceive”).
1
An instance of actions and/or schemes fabricated to mislead someone into believing a lie or inaccuracy.
- deliberate deception
- pure deception
4 more examples
- She got the money out of the tourist by deception.
- The Priest also places a moral barrier between himself and his tale by establishing himself as an "unreliable narrator" capable of deception and irony. Thus, through his habit of speaking equivocally, he can disavow responsibility for his frequently provocative words.1969 September, Charles A. Watkins, “Chaucer’s Sweete Preest”, in Earl R. Wasserman et al., editors, ELH [English Literary History], volume 36, number 3, Baltimore, Md.: The Johns Hopkins Press, →DOI, →ISSN, →OCLC, page 463:
- Reports related to Trump’s second impeachment very well reflect the Trumpology of the last four years – lie as much as you find tolerable (and the tolerance levels have been moved out extensively), and cover the truth with more lies and deception.[…]Lies, deceit and corruption – the core of Trumpology.2021 February 11, Greg Hegman, “Same old Trump”, in Times-News, Twin Falls, Ida., page A9:
- The movie delivers a critical and analytical 'unfolding of the circumstances of Reality [Winner]’s life, starting with her childhood in Texas, in order to reveal her sense of deceptions and injustices that pass largely unchallenged in everyday American life.2024 September 11, Richard Brody, ““Winner” Takes Political Comedy Seriously”, in The New Yorker:
- Synonyms
- deception, imposition, hype, deceit, dupery, fiddle, fetch, hocus-pocus, jugglery, legerdemain, list, mislead, prestidigitation, Punic faith, rinky-dink, ruse, sleight of hand, subterfuge, swack, trickery
- Derived terms
- deceptional, nondeception, self-deception, undeception
- Related terms
- deceive, deceptive, lie, deceiver, con artist
- Hyponyms
26 terms
bunco, cheat, chicanery, con, con game, confidence game, confidence trick, double-dealing, duplicity, fakery, flim-flam, forgery, fraud, fullam, grift, hoax, imposture, Potemkin village, racket, rip-off, scam, sham, skulduggery, swindle, trick, underhandedness