deceitful

[dih-seet-fuhl]

adjective

1. given to deceiving.

   A deceitful person cannot keep friends for long.

   Synonyms: wily, tricky, designing, hollow, false, disingenuous, insincere
   Antonyms: honest

2. intended to deceive; misleading; fraudulent.

   a deceitful action.

   Synonyms: fallacious, illusory
   Antonyms: genuine

deceitful

/ dɪˈsiːtfʊl /

adjective

1. full of deceit

Other Word Forms

• deceitfully adverb
• deceitfulness noun
• undeceitful adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of deceitful¹

First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English; deceit + -ful

Example Sentences

“To the extent that anyone is unfit to serve in a position of responsibility because of deceitful and potentially criminal conduct, it is the current occupant of the White House.”

From Salon

Mr Wrench described the hidden commissions as "deceitful" and said firms should be more up front about the payments.

From BBC

"I just want people to be accountable, and I don't want them getting away with being deceitful and dishonest," he adds.

From BBC

Vampires in movies, deceitful husbands in plays, corrupt elected officials in office — their survival depends on the masses not knowing the truth.

From Los Angeles Times

Lloyds said there was "nothing deceitful or untoward in the introduction" of PwC and that the consultants it worked with had a "proven track record of saving and developing businesses."

From BBC

Related Words

• artful 
• deceptive 
• disingenuous 
• duplicitous 
• false 
• fraudulent 
• hypocritical 
• misleading 
• underhanded 
• untrustworthy 
• untruthful 

When To Use

What does deceitful mean?

Deceitful means intended to or tending to deceive—to lie, mislead, or otherwise hide or distort the truth.The noun deceit most commonly refers to the act or practice of deceiving, but it can also refer to the quality of someone or something that deceives. A deceitful person can be said to be full of deceit.Deceitful can describe people, their actions, or something that deceives or is intended to deceive, as in It was a deceitful plan from the beginning. The word deceptive has a very similar meaning, but it’s typically applied to actions or practices, as in deceptive business practices.Being deceitful doesn’t just involve lying. It can consist of misrepresenting or omitting the truth or more complicated cover-ups. Anything that involves intentionally misleading someone is deceitful.Words like deceit and deceitful often imply a pattern of behavior, rather than a one-time act.Example: I’m sick of how deceitful you are—I can’t trust anything you say!