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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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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 Viewing them through the proxy of Joe, McGahern refuses to romanticize these characters, who are often admirable but also, by turns, nosy, deceitful, aggressive, and ridiculous. Sam Sacks, Harper's Magazine, 2 Jan. 2025 The governor needs to stop being deceitful with the people’s money and prioritize services that impact everyday Californians’ lives. Alexandra MacEdo, Orange County Register, 16 Jan. 2025 The film followed the release of the 2012 book about a deceitful disappearance by Gillian Flynn. Becca Longmire, People.com, 31 Dec. 2024 As a crucial point of clarification, such deceitful actions are not because AI is sentient. Lance Eliot, Forbes, 27 Dec. 2024 See All Example Sentences for deceitful
Recent Examples of Synonyms for deceitful
Adjective
  • The suit alleges that employees at the Novato branch were incentivized not to do anything to stop PFI’s fraudulent activity.
    Richard Halstead, The Mercury News, 6 Mar. 2025
  • It is intended to streamline the removal of individuals deemed inadmissible under specific grounds, primarily for lacking proper documentation or for using fraudulent means to enter the country.
    Tommy Tuberville, Newsweek, 6 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • False Hope And Fake Assurances Ransomware operators also exploit victims with false assurances, creating a deceptive sense of hope that there is a way to resolve the situation.
    Stu Sjouwerman, Forbes, 10 Mar. 2025
  • That’s the film’s greatest surprise, its secret deceptive pitch.
    Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 7 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • Truth oaths are not just for the U.S. Internal Revenue Service but for many different companies that want to curb dishonest behavior or that ask employees to report information that is difficult to verify.
    IESE Business School, Forbes, 7 Mar. 2025
  • Greta’s stealth revolution may look natural, but the change is weak and dishonest.
    Armond White, National Review, 5 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • In those documents, West discussed not only how to conduct experiments to implant false memories, instill specific mental disorders, and induce trance states, but also how to hide them.
    Randall Colburn, EW.com, 8 Mar. 2025
  • To illustrate, in the United Kingdom vaccinations took a considerable dip in the early 2000s after Wakefield’ false claims of a link between the MMR shot and autism were posted in the media.
    Joshua P. Cohen, Forbes, 8 Mar. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Deceitful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deceitful. Accessed 15 Mar. 2025.

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