Definitions

deceitful

[dih-seet-fuhl] / dɪˈsit fəl /

ADJECTIVE

dishonest, insincere

Synonyms

STRONGEST

artful deceptive disingenuous duplicitous false fraudulent hypocritical misleading underhanded untrustworthy untruthful

WEAK

astucious astute beguiling clandestine counterfeit crafty cunning deceiving delusive delusory designing double-dealing fallacious feline foxy furtive guileful illusory impostrous indirect insidious knavish lying mendacious rascal roguish shifty slick sly sneaky stealthy subtle treacherous tricky two-faced underhand wily

Antonyms

STRONGEST

actual authentic forthright frank genuine honest ingenuous just naive open real reliable sincere truthful upright valid

WEAK

faithful loyal trustworthy

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

And it’s gone along on the same trajectory with deceitful disclosures.

From Slate • Feb. 4, 2026

He defined the domestic cat, for instance, as “a deceitful animal, and when enraged, extremely spiteful.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 19, 2025

“May today’s sentencing deter anyone who seeks to greedily profit off their clients through deceitful practices,” Raia said in a statement.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 18, 2025

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 • Apr. 7, 2025

Nehemia had been deceitful about her language skills, and how much she knew about the Wyrdmarks, but she could have any number of reasons for that.

From "Throne of Glass" by Sarah J. Maas

Vocabulary lists containing deceitful

Power Suffix: -ful

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Fake It 'Til You Make It: Synonyms for "False"

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Negative Words to Describe a Person

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