deception
dih-SEP-shun
/dɪˈsepʃn/
The action of deceiving someone; a lie or a trick.
Focuses on the method of the affair—the lies, the hidden phone, the fake excuses.
The story behind the word. From the Latin 'decipere,' meaning to ensnare or take away. The image is of catching someone in a trap or a snare by leading them astray from the truth.
Word relationships
- deceit: Deceit is the quality of being deceptive; deception is often the act itself.
- duplicity: Specifically implies 'double-dealing' or acting in two different ways to different people.
- honesty: The quality of being honest.
- candor: The quality of being open and honest in expression; frankness.
Commonly confused with
- betrayal: Deception is the 'how' (the lies); betrayal is the 'what' (the broken trust).
Word family
- deceive (verb): To cause someone to believe something that is not true.
- deceptive (adjective): Giving an appearance or impression different from the true one.
Collocations
- web of deception
- practiced deception
- deliberate deception
Idioms & expressions
- tangled web
Example sentences
- "The magician's act relied on a clever blend of misdirection and visual deception to astound the audience."
- "It wasn't just the affair that hurt; it was the years of deception and gaslighting." Describing the end of a relationship.
Memory hook
DECEPTION is a RECEPTION of lies. The act of lying.
When not to use
It's a broad term; in a romantic context, specify what the deception was about to be clear.
Fun facts
- The word 'deceive' originally had a neutral meaning of 'to beguile' or 'to entertain' before it became strictly negative.
Related words
Explore more words
subterfuge, deceptive, artifice, deceitful, fraud, fabrication
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