də̇ˈsepshən, dēˈ- noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English decepcioun, from Middle French deception, from Late Latin deception-, deceptio, from Latin deceptus (past participle of decipere to deceive) + -ion-, -io -ion — more at deceive
1.
a. : the act of deceiving, cheating, hoodwinking, misleading, or deluding
resort to falsehood and deception in avoiding the tax
b. : the fact or condition of being deceived, fooled, or deluded
the magician's deception of the audience by clever tricks
2. : a characteristic, arrangement, or situation that deceives or deludes with or without calculated intent : fraud , artifice , trick
skilled in evasions, deceptions, and ruses
Synonyms:
fraud , double-dealing , trickery , chicane , chicanery , subterfuge : deception is a general term for any sort of deceiving, by whatever methods or for whatever motive
the deception practiced by this corrupt and treacherous group
the deception in this boxer's feints
fraud , unless humorously or lightly used, indicates dishonest or even criminal deception, especially misrepresentation or perversion of the truth in order to defraud
he would sometimes “write in” for articles necessary for his education … in order to eke out his pocket money … these frauds were sometimes … in imminent danger of being discovered — Samuel Butler †1902
double-dealing suggests performance of actions incompatible with or contradictory to an ostensible role; sometimes it indicates treachery by secretly aiding a party while professedly a member or ally of its enemy
his double-dealing in collaborating secretly with the enemy occupation forces while belonging to the patriot resistance group
trickery indicates use or practice of tricks to deceive, of artful stratagems or crafty ingenuities, and usually suggests sharp practice or actual dishonesty
they held that the basest trickery or deceit was not dishonorable if directed against a foe — American Guide Series: Rhode Island
chicane and chicanery , the latter being now the more common form, suggest legalistic trickery, especially trickery by misrepresenting, misleading, confusing, or other shyster devices
the labyrinthine procedure that so delayed justice and helped chicane — Times Literary Supplement
a disintegrating society, rotten and fluid within … made … chicane indispensable to winning riches — Marvin Lowenthal
subterfuge refers to any shady trick or artifice to conceal, escape, avoid, or evade
whether notes issued by such a bank constituted a subterfuge by which the state in effect was emitting bills of credit in the sense forbidden by the Constitution — Harvey Pinney
Synonym: see in addition imposture .