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Definition of deception noun from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

deception

noun
 
/dɪˈsepʃn/
 
/dɪˈsepʃn/
Word Family
  • deceive verb
  • deceit noun
  • deceitful adjective
  • deception noun
  • deceptive adjective
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  1. [uncountable] the act of deliberately making somebody believe something that is not true (= of deceiving them) synonym deceitTopics Personal qualitiesc1
    • a drama full of lies and deception
    • He was accused of obtaining property by deception.
    Extra Examples
    • He'll use deception to get what he wants.
    • She failed to see through his deception.
    Topics Crime and punishmentc1
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective
    • cruel
    • elaborate
    • deliberate
    verb + deception
    • practise/​practice
    • use
    • detect
    See full entry
  2. [countable] a trick intended to make somebody believe something that is not true synonym deceit
    • The whole episode had been a cruel deception.
    • His elaborate deception fooled everyone.
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective
    • cruel
    • elaborate
    • deliberate
    verb + deception
    • practise/​practice
    • use
    • detect
    See full entry
  3. Word Originlate Middle English: from late Latin deceptio(n-), from decipere ‘deceive’.
See deception in the Oxford Advanced American DictionarySee deception in the Oxford Learner's Dictionary of Academic English

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