Deception
/dɪˈsɛpʃən/
nounB2
Definition
Deception means causing someone to believe something false or wrong on purpose. It is often used when someone hides the truth or lies to get an advantage or avoid trouble. It is different from an honest mistake because deception is done on purpose.
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⚡ See It in Action
The act of tricking someone by hiding the truth or lying
- •The spy used deception to get secret information.
- •Deception is wrong because it breaks trust between people.
- •He was punished for deception in the business deal.
A false idea or belief caused by hiding the truth
- •The illusion created a deception that the object was floating.
- •There was a deception in the advertisement about the product's quality.
🧲 Make It Stick
- ✓Think of "deception" like "lie," but bigger and more planned—it is not just a small lie but a trick to fool someone
- ✓Picture a magician who hides how the trick works to make you believe something impossible
- ✓It feels like when you trust someone but then find out they were not honest, which can make you feel sad or angry
- ✓Sounds like "dis-SEP-shun" → imagine someone whispering "step" quietly, like stepping around the truth carefully to hide it
- ✓In stories, villains often use deception to trick heroes and get what they want
- ✓NOT like "mistake" (an accident)—deception is done on purpose to fool others
- ✓NOT like "secret" (something kept hidden)—deception involves hiding the truth by making false beliefs
- ✓NOT like "joke" (funny and harmless)—deception is serious because it can cause harm or unfairness
🔄 Try Other Words
- •Trickery: the use of tricks to deceive (Use when you want to emphasize clever or sneaky behavior)
- •Fraud: wrongful deception to gain money or power (Use in legal or financial contexts)
- •Dishonesty: lack of honesty or truthfulness (Use for general untruthful behavior)
- •Misleading: causing someone to believe something wrong (Use when the focus is on causing wrong beliefs, not always by lying)
🔍 Unboxing
- •Word parts: prefix "de-" (from, away) + root "cept" (take, seize) + suffix "-ion" (noun form)
- •Etymology: From Latin "deceptio," meaning "a taking away, deception," from "decipere" (to deceive, catch)
- •Historical development: Used since Middle English to mean tricking or fooling someone by hiding the truth
- •Modern usage: Commonly used in law, psychology, and everyday speech to describe acts of lying or tricking others
- •Key insight: The root "cept" relates to taking or catching, so deception is "taking away" the truth from someone
💭 Reflect & Connect
•How do you feel when you discover someone used deception against you? Can it change your trust in people?
•Can deception ever be useful or acceptable, for example, in games or surprises? Where is the line?
Fill in the blanks with the correct word:
1.People use deception to ___ others into believing things that are not true.
2.Deception often causes feelings of ___ when the truth is found out.
3.Unlike a simple mistake, deception is done ___ to trick someone.
4.The magician’s deception made the audience ___ that the card disappeared.
5.In business, deception can lead to ___ or loss of trust.
6.Deception is different from honesty because it involves ___ the truth.
7.Sometimes, deception is hidden behind ___ words that confuse the listener.