DECEITFUL Synonyms: 103 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How does the adjective 'deceitful' differ from other similar words?

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

Q: When would 'dishonest' be a good substitute for 'deceitful'?

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

Q: Where would 'mendacious' be a reasonable alternative to 'deceitful'?

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

Q: When might 'untruthful' be a better fit than 'deceitful'?

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

deceitful

adjective

di-ˈsēt-fəl

Definition of deceitful next

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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective deceitful differ from other similar words?

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

When would dishonest be a good substitute for deceitful?

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

Where would mendacious be a reasonable alternative to deceitful?

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

When might untruthful be a better fit than deceitful?

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

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of deceitful Regarding annual plan pricing, NordVPN is facing a $100M class-action lawsuit in the US states of California and North Carolina over allegedly deceitful price increases that trigger once annual and two-year subscriptions renew. —

PCMAG, 2 Nov. 2024 Holeman said Allen showed signs of being deceitful during a 2022 interview, such as looking down and touching his face. —

John Tufts, The Indianapolis Star, 26 Oct. 2024 Lawmakers should first fix the current deceitful ballot and campaign practices of local agencies and businesses that financially benefit from passage of bond measures. —

Mercury News & East Bay Times Editorial Boards, The Mercury News, 13 Oct. 2024 On Sunday, the show released the following statement in response to the Republican presidential candidate: Former President Donald Trump is accusing 60 Minutes of deceitful editing of our Oct. 7 interview with Vice President Kamala Harris. —

Kimberly Nordyke, The Hollywood Reporter, 3 Sep. 2019 See all Example Sentences for deceitful

Recent Examples of Synonyms for deceitful

Adjective

Wakefield’s research was found to be fraudulent and conducted with money from lawyers suing vaccine manufacturers; he was stripped of his medical license.

— Eleanor Menzin, TIME, 30 Jan. 2025
The treasure trove of information is valuable to scammers who want to open a fraudulent credit card or account in your name.

— Ken Alltucker, USA TODAY, 29 Jan. 2025