Deception & Secrets

Dishonesty has many forms, and English has a precise word for each one.

This quiz covers duplicitous, illicit, insidious, mendacious, and surreptitious, five words connected to deception, hidden motives, and secrecy. You'll come across them in crime dramas, news reports on corruption, and any time you need to describe someone acting in a shady or underhanded way.

Pro Tip: insidious means gradually harmful in a hidden way; surreptitious means done in secret to avoid detection.