deceptiveness
Tendency to mislead
Deceptiveness is the quality of being likely to mislead or create false impressions.
A deceptive appearance has deceptiveness about it.
The word often implies something subtle rather than obvious: The deceptiveness of the calm water hid dangerous currents beneath.
Unlike outright lying, deceptiveness suggests a tendency to mislead without necessarily stating falsehoods directly.
Disposition toward falsehood
- insincerityLack of genuine feeling
- duplicityDeliberate misleading behavior
- hypocrisyPretense of virtue
- untrustworthinessBeing unreliable or deceitful
deceitfulness · falseness · fraudulence · dissembling · crookedness · shadiness · perfidy · treachery
Sly, scheming cleverness
- slynessCunning in manner
- craftinessShrewd, devious cleverness
- wilinessShrewd deceptive cleverness
- foxinessShrewd, cunning nature
shrewdness · artfulness · scheming · manipulation · conniving · underhandedness · stealth · covert
False data spread unintentionally
- disinformationIntentional deceptive falsehoods
- prevaricationMisleading speech avoiding directness
- distortionTwisting from original state
- obfuscationDeliberate concealment through confusion
equivocation · misrepresentation · propaganda · spin · gaslighting · half-truth · falsehood · canard
Deliberate act of deception
- ployCalculated deceptive tactic
- gambitRisky opening for advantage
- feintDeceptive mock attack
- stratagemDeceptive plan for advantage
subterfuge · sleight · trick · bluff · decoy · bait-and-switch · shell game · flimflam
Criminal courtroom dishonesty
- forgeryCreating fraudulent imitations
- embezzlementFraudulent taking of entrusted assets
- counterfeitingMaking fake money
- falsificationDeliberate alteration of truth
swindle · scam · con · hoax · imposture · misrepresentation · fabrication · cheating
Atmospheric optical deception
- hallucinationPerception without external cause
- optical illusionMisleading visual perception
- apparitionVisible supernatural manifestation
- phantasmIllusory supernatural appearance
delusion · chimera · trompe-l'oeil · hologram · distortion · simulacrum · camouflage · mimicry
Error in reasoning
- sophistryDeceptive reasoning
- casuistryApplying principles to particulars
- speciousnessMisleading appearance of validity
- red herringIntentional misleading distraction
strawman · false equivalence · cherry-picking · rationalization · misdirection
dishonesty
Disposition toward falsehood
- insincerityLack of genuine feeling
- duplicityDeliberate misleading behavior
- hypocrisyPretense of virtue
untrustworthiness · deceitfulness · falseness · fraudulence · dissembling · crookedness · shadiness · perfidy · treachery · mendacity
cunning
Sly, scheming cleverness
- slynessCunning in manner
- craftinessShrewd, devious cleverness
- wilinessShrewd deceptive cleverness
foxiness · shrewdness · artfulness · scheming · manipulation · conniving · underhandedness · stealth · covert · slickness
misinformation
False data spread unintentionally
- disinformationIntentional deceptive falsehoods
- prevaricationMisleading speech avoiding directness
- distortionTwisting from original state
obfuscation · equivocation · misrepresentation · propaganda · spin · gaslighting · half-truth · falsehood · canard · fabrication
ruse
Deliberate act of deception
stratagem · subterfuge · sleight · trick · bluff · decoy · bait-and-switch · shell game · flimflam · shenanigan
perjury
Criminal courtroom dishonesty
- forgeryCreating fraudulent imitations
- embezzlementFraudulent taking of entrusted assets
- counterfeitingMaking fake money
falsification · swindle · scam · con · hoax · imposture · misrepresentation · fabrication · cheating · grift
mirage
Atmospheric optical deception
- hallucinationPerception without external cause
- optical illusionMisleading visual perception
- apparitionVisible supernatural manifestation
phantasm · delusion · chimera · trompe-l'oeil · hologram · distortion · simulacrum · camouflage · mimicry · sleight of hand
fallacy
Error in reasoning
- sophistryDeceptive reasoning
- casuistryApplying principles to particulars
- speciousnessMisleading appearance of validity
red herring · strawman · false equivalence · cherry-picking · rationalization · misdirection
deceptivenesshonesty
Truthfulness, sincerity
truthfulness · candor · frankness · sincerity · forthrightness
deceptivenessgenuineness
Quality of being real
authenticity · legitimacy · realness · validity · bona fides
deceptivenesstrustworthiness
Quality of being reliable
reliability · dependability · credibility · certainty · faithfulness
deception, deceive, deceit, deceptive, deceitful, misconception, deceiver, deceptively, deceptions