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Definitions

self-deception

[self-di-sep-shuhn, self-] / ˈsɛlf dɪˈsɛp ʃən, ˌsɛlf- /


NOUN
wishful thinking
Synonyms
Antonyms


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.

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Though “American hegemony” offered some benefits—“open sea lanes, a stable financial system, collective security and support for frameworks for resolving disputes”—it also required collective self-deception.

From The Wall Street Journal Jan. 30, 2026

Fairy In A Bottle is a glorious bruise of a song, all about Alon's capacity for self-deception: "I want to worship you before the hope expires."

From BBC Sep. 10, 2025

To not see this for what it is can be attributed to being naïve and gullible, to self-deception by outright denial, or to being complicit.

From Salon Feb. 26, 2025

Baker wrote the part for her, and Madison returned the favor with a star-making performance, leaning into Ani’s audacity while revealing the fragile façade, the vulnerabilities and self-deception lurking underneath.

From Los Angeles Times Oct. 16, 2024

To ignore this science is to engage in self-deception, to tell ourselves a lie.

From "A Deadly Wandering: A Mystery, a Landmark Investigation, and the Astonishing Science of Attention in the Digital Age" by Matt Richtel




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