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Synonyms

double-dealing

American  
[duhb-uhl-dee-ling] / ˈdʌb əlˈdi lɪŋ /

noun

  1. duplicity; treachery; deception.

adjective

  1. using duplicity; treacherous.

double-dealing British  

noun

    1. action characterized by treachery or deceit

    2. ( as modifier )

      double-dealing treachery
"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

  • double-dealer noun

Etymology

Origin of double-dealing

First recorded in 1520–30

Vocabulary lists containing double-dealing

Novel Study: I Am Malala

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Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Not a bad legacy, considering George Downing is summarized by his biographer thus: “Liar, blackmailer, seducer and thief, this double-dealing shapeshifter would betray both friends and principles without a moment’s misgiving.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 11, 2026

When you’re spending money that’s not your own but that one day might be your inheritance, it sometimes feels like double-dealing, psychologically.

From Barron's • Nov. 9, 2025

Brad Gordon says Latchford was double-dealing right until his death.

From BBC • May 12, 2022

A number of them are elaborate chronicles of bad behavior, full of double-dealing and palace intrigue.

From New York Times • Feb. 5, 2020

‘How could you suggest such double-dealing? For shame, Rabscuttle! We will guard the house.’

From "Watership Down: A Novel" by Richard Adams

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.