dissembling 1 of 3

noun

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

dissembling

2 of 3

adjective

as in lying

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dissembling

3 of 3

verb

present participle of dissemble
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

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of dissembling
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
  1. deception
  2. deceit
  3. lying
  4. pretending
  5. deceptiveness
  6. hypocrisy
  7. mendacious
  8. assuming
Noun
  • Prevention of fraud, deception and public accountability are reasons given for this suggestion.
    — Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 24 Aug. 2026
  • As the investigation unfolded, what initially appeared to be a daring ransom scheme evolved into a complex story of obsession, deception, and unexpected motives.
    — Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of deception
Noun
  • Their topics include the limits of authenticity and how to grasp understanding in a world awash in deceit.
    — Christopher Coffman, The Conversation, 24 Aug. 2026
  • The state alleges OpenAI's rapid success stems from deceit and exploitation, causing widespread harm to Floridians and subverting public order.
    — Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of deceit
Adjective
  • 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.
    — Kenan Draughorne, Los Angeles Times, 14 Jan. 2022
Definition of lying
Verb
  • The two are only able to unlock a new understanding of each other by pretending to be strangers meeting for the first time.
    — Ben Rosenstock, Vulture, 28 Aug. 2026
  • The fix is to stop pretending a general-purpose adult chatbot is a children's tutor.
    — Dana Williams, Forbes.com, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of pretending
Noun
  • Of course, the retort is that this would be irritating and exasperating to be continually deluged with alerts about AI deceptiveness.
    — Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 24 Aug. 2025
  • Beyond the deceptiveness of the narrow material view, spiritual light and hope are always present to be found and felt.
    — Sue Brightman, Christian Science Monitor, 3 Jan. 2025
Definition of deceptiveness
Noun
  • These charges of hypocrisy have only gotten louder as DSA candidates have won a string of Democratic primaries across the country.
    — Tyler Austin Harper, The Atlantic, 22 Aug. 2026
  • The film follows an 11-year-old boy who exploits his brother’s tragic death to fight his father and his community, until his lies expose the hypocrisy and corruption beneath a seemingly moral society.
    — Christopher Vourlias, Variety, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of hypocrisy
Adjective
  • 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.
    — Eliot A. Cohen, The Atlantic, 26 Feb. 2026
  • 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.
    — Hope Moses, Chicago Tribune, 10 Jan. 2026
Definition of mendacious
Verb
  • Coronated at age 3 after his father’s death, the curious boy king in colorful robes mesmerized world leaders and ruled through regents until assuming full authority at 18.
    — Rodney Muhumuza, Los Angeles Times, 28 Aug. 2026
  • At those levels, assuming no additional charges, paying off the debt while making minimum payments could take nearly 27 years and cost nearly $13,000 in interest alone, according to Bankrate's credit card calculator.
    — Mike Winters, CNBC, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of assuming

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dissembles
dissembling
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Cite this Entry

“Dissembling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dissembling. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

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