ENGLISH
REFERENCE

devil in disguise

idiom
Meaning

A person or thing that appears to be good, honest, or upstanding, but is inherently nasty, evil, or damaging.


Examples
SIMPLE

That charming man is actually a devil in disguise.

CONTEXTUAL

She seemed like the perfect business partner, but I soon realized she was a devil in disguise who wanted to steal my company.

COMPLEX

The charismatic leader promised prosperity to the desperate citizens, yet history eventually revealed him to be a devil in disguise who sought only his own power.

Anchors to
Related idioms8entries
  1. 01

    dance with the devil

    To engage in risky and immoral behavior.

  2. 02

    devil dancing

    Risky, reckless or potentially immoral behavior.

  3. 03

    devil lies in the details

    Synonym of devil is in the details.

  4. 04

    folk devil

    A person or type of person blamed by the public for various ills, as during a moral panic.

  5. 05

    give the devil his due

    To acknowledge the positive qualities of a person who is unpleasant or disliked.

  6. 06

    play the devil with

    To cause great trouble or distress to.

  7. 07

    speak of the devil

    An expression sometimes used when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to arrive on the scene.

  8. 08

    speak of the devil and he appears

    Synonym of speak of the devil.

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