Meaning
deception, trick, trickery
- cheat, fraud, swindle
In a sentence
Pensavo fosse amore, invece era un inganno.
I thought it was love, but it was a deception.
Hai capito subito che era un inganno?
Did you understand right away that it was a trick?
Non voglio cadere in un altro inganno.
I don't want to fall for another scam.
Word forms (2)
| Word | Word forms |
|---|---|
| inganno | masculine · singular |
| inganni | masculine · plural |
Usage notes
- Use inganno for deceit in general; truffa is more specifically a scam or fraud, often involving money.
- Common in phrases with verbs like cadere in, indurre in, and trarre in: cadere in inganno = be deceived.
- More neutral and broad than imbroglio, which is often more colloquial and can suggest a messy trick or muddle.