deceitful
adjective
de·ceit·ful di-ˈsēt-fəl 
: having a tendency or disposition to deceive or give false impressions:
a
: not honest
a deceitful child
left her deceitful husband
b
: deceptive, misleading
deceitful advertising
deceitfully
di-ˈsēt-fə-lē
adverb deceitfulness noun
Synonyms
- crooked
- defrauding
- dishonest
- double-dealing
- false
- fraudulent
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
charged the store owner with such deceitful practices as inflating the list prices for items only so he could put them on sale at drastically reduced prices the deceitful salesman neglected to mention some important information about the used car
Recent Examples on the Web Everything about the littoral seemed deceitful, untrustworthy. 
Henry Wismayer, Anchorage Daily News, 30 Aug. 2022 Everything about the littoral seemed deceitful, untrustworthy. Henry Wismayer, Washington Post, 29 Aug. 2022 Evie ultimately survives the trap she’d been placed in by Oliver, but the response from early test screenings wanted more of a comeuppance for her deceitful cousin. Brian Davids, The Hollywood Reporter, 28 Aug. 2022 The sit-down has since been discredited after it was found that deceitful methods were used to secure the interview with Diana. Simon Perry, Peoplemag, 15 Aug. 2022 Charles Spencer, the brother of Princess Diana, is speaking out again about the deceitful methods used by BBC journalist Martin Bashir to secure a bombshell interview with Diana. Stephanie Petit, PEOPLE.com, 25 July 2022 The book’s second half focuses on a boy named Mark who grows into a deceitful teenage addict and clubgoer. New York Times, 27 July 2022 The Dyson report also found that Bashir used deceitful methods to gain access to Princess Diana, including allegedly forging documents. Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 21 July 2022 So strong are the negative associations that the word itself has become a pejorative for someone deceitful or disloyal. Jacob Stern, The Atlantic, 8 July 2022 See More
Henry Wismayer, Anchorage Daily News, 30 Aug. 2022 Everything about the littoral seemed deceitful, untrustworthy. Henry Wismayer, Washington Post, 29 Aug. 2022 Evie ultimately survives the trap she’d been placed in by Oliver, but the response from early test screenings wanted more of a comeuppance for her deceitful cousin. Brian Davids, The Hollywood Reporter, 28 Aug. 2022 The sit-down has since been discredited after it was found that deceitful methods were used to secure the interview with Diana. Simon Perry, Peoplemag, 15 Aug. 2022 Charles Spencer, the brother of Princess Diana, is speaking out again about the deceitful methods used by BBC journalist Martin Bashir to secure a bombshell interview with Diana. Stephanie Petit, PEOPLE.com, 25 July 2022 The book’s second half focuses on a boy named Mark who grows into a deceitful teenage addict and clubgoer. New York Times, 27 July 2022 The Dyson report also found that Bashir used deceitful methods to gain access to Princess Diana, including allegedly forging documents. Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 21 July 2022 So strong are the negative associations that the word itself has become a pejorative for someone deceitful or disloyal. Jacob Stern, The Atlantic, 8 July 2022 See More Word History
Etymology
see deceit
First Known Use
15th century, in the meaning defined above
Kids Definition
deceitful
adjective
de·ceit·ful di-ˈsēt-fəl
: not honest : full of deceit
deceitful advertising
deceitful
adjective
1
as in fraudulent
marked by, based on, or done by the use of dishonest methods to acquire something of value charged the store owner with such deceitful practices as inflating the list prices for items only so he could put them on sale at drastically reduced prices Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- fraudulent
- dishonest
- deceptive
- false
- misleading
- duplicitous
- crooked
- defrauding
- delusive
- deceiving
- specious
- double-dealing
- delusory
- beguiling
- fallacious
- deluding
- spurious
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- truthful
- honest
- true
- legitimate
- valid
- aboveboard
2
as in deceptive
tending or having power to deceive the deceitful salesman neglected to mention some important information about the used car Synonyms & Similar Words
- deceptive
- misleading
- false
- deceiving
- delusive
- ambiguous
- specious
- incorrect
- beguiling
- fallacious
- fraudulent
- deluding
- inaccurate
- delusory
- dishonest
- cunning
- crooked
- subtle
- duplicitous
- treacherous
- wily
- underhanded
- lying
- untrustworthy
- devious
- mendacious
- sneaky
- guileful
- crafty
- untruthful
- artful
- sly
- shifty
- shady
- trick
- slick
- underhand
- bewildering
- faithless
- perfidious
- perplexing
- knavish
- insidious
- subtile
- wrong
- puzzling
- tricky
- foxy
- artificial
- confounding
- dissembling
- counterfeit
- evasive
- hypocritical
- forged
- distracting
- fake
- defrauding
- insincere
- bogus
- sham
- phony
- sneaking
- trickish
- spurious
- feigned
- ambidextrous
- circuitous
- equivocal
- fast
- phoney
- two-faced
- double-dealing
- backhanded
- jive
- left-handed
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- nondeceptive
- forthright
- straightforward
- plain
- outspoken
- frank
- direct
- aboveboard
- candid
- open
- straight
- plainspoken
- truthful
- openhearted
- illuminating
- explanatory
- trustworthy
- free-spoken
- honest
- revealing
- foursquare
- revelatory
- clarifying
- elucidative
Synonym Chooser
Some common synonyms of deceitful are dishonest, mendacious, and untruthful. While all these words mean "unworthy of trust or belief," deceitful usually implies an intent to mislead and commonly suggests a false appearance or double-dealing.
the secret affairs of a deceitful spouse
In some situations, the words dishonest and deceitful are roughly equivalent. However, dishonest implies a willful perversion of truth in order to deceive, cheat, or defraud.
a swindle usually involves two dishonest people
The meanings of mendacious and deceitful largely overlap; however, mendacious may suggest bland or even harmlessly mischievous deceit and when used of people often suggests a habit of telling untruths.
mendacious tales of adventure
While the synonyms untruthful and deceitful are close in meaning, untruthful stresses a discrepancy between what is said and fact or reality.
an untruthful account of their actions