1
as in deception
the inclination or practice of misleading others through lies or trickery
a crafty child given to frequent dissembling to get what she wants
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in deceit
the pretending of having virtues, principles, or beliefs that one in fact does not have
in the end the preacher's smarmy dissembling is discovered, and he is exposed as a fraud
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in lying
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Dissimilar Words
1
as in pretending
to present a false appearance of
he dissembled happiness at the news that his old girlfriend was getting married—to someone else
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2
as in dissimulating
to take on a false or deceptive appearance
children learn to dissemble at a surprisingly early age
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of dissembling
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
13 Mar. 2026
His inner self is right there and raw at the surface, leaving him incapable of dissembling, which is why Lancaster Dodd likes him so much.
—
Alison Willmore,
Vulture,
25 Sep. 2025
Owen Gleiberman,
Variety,
20 Apr. 2026
Noun
Such dissembling by the people who are where the buck stops raises doubt that the Pentagon’s final report will be candid.
—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
13 Mar. 2026
His inner self is right there and raw at the surface, leaving him incapable of dissembling, which is why Lancaster Dodd likes him so much.
—
Alison Willmore,
Vulture,
25 Sep. 2025
Verb
When McKenzie asks him how much he’s contributed to the coffers of politicians, his dodging of the question is pure dissembling theater.
—
Owen Gleiberman,
Variety,
20 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dissembling
Noun
-
Guo was convicted of nine of 12 criminal charges during a seven-week trial that prosecutors said showcased his deception of thousands of investors in bogus deals that enabled Guo’s lavish lifestyle.
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By the time the deception was uncovered, the employee had authorized $25 million in transfers.
Noun
-
The original trial was found to be invalid due to fraud and deceit.
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And with that comes deceit and manipulation.
Adjective
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He was found dead lying face up on his hotel bed with no signs of trauma, according to a Monday report from the Orange County Sheriff’s Office in Florida.
Verb
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The scammer then calls, pretending to be in a crisis and in need of immediate financial assistance.
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For example, a group of minions might be pretending to fight a group of Vikings on a movie set, or enough alien spaceships to fill the entire screen appear and shoot their lasers at once.
Noun
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Of course, the retort is that this would be irritating and exasperating to be continually deluged with alerts about AI deceptiveness.
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Beyond the deceptiveness of the narrow material view, spiritual light and hope are always present to be found and felt.
Noun
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The hypocrisy is stunning, and frightening.
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The South cried hypocrisy on slavery, given that the seamen of Providence, Rhode Island, played a central role in the Atlantic slave trade.
Adjective
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The 2026 State of the Union speech stands in contrast, a speech by a mendacious demagogue who has degraded his listeners by debauching their instincts.
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Supporters of recent state AI regulations said the measures will address potential threats to public safety and personal privacy, and to counter any mendacious actions created by AI, while not hindering innovation.
Verb
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The rule was created assuming that could mean harm or illness, and not in-party fighting.
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For the past few years, conversations around AI adoption have centered around access to tools, assuming technology alone would drive transformation.
Cite this Entry
“Dissembling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dissembling. Accessed 6 Jul. 2026.
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