Deception Definition & Meaning | Britannica Dictionary (original) (raw)

Britannica Dictionary definition of DECEPTION

1

[noncount]

:

the act of making someone believe something that is not true

:

the act of deceiving someone

• She accuses the company of willful deception in its advertising.
• The article describes the government's use of deception [=_deceit_] to gain public support for the program.
• She practiced deception on her unsuspecting clients. [=she deceived them]

2

[count]

:

an act or statement intended to make people believe something that is not true

• His many deceptions did not become known until years after he died.
• It was a misunderstanding on her part, not a deliberate deception on his (part). [=he didn't try to deceive her or lie to her]
• a clever deception [=_trick_]

— see also self-deception