The Devil is one of the most talked-about cards in the deck — and no wonder.
The Devil upright
Attachment, temptation, unhealthy patterns, materialism, feeling trapped.
The Devil reversed
Breaking free, reclaiming power, awareness, release, recovery.
Keywords: attachment, temptation, unhealthy patterns, materialism, feeling trapped
The classic reading (Waite, 1911)
- Upright: Ravage, violence, vehemence, extraordinary efforts, force, fatality; that which is predestined but is not for this reason evil.
- Reversed: Evil fatality, weakness, pettiness, blindness.
The Pictorial Key to the Tarot is the oldest layer of the card — modern readers soften and expand these meanings.
Golden Dawn correspondences
- title The Lord of the Gates of Matter; the Child of the Forces of Time
- Zodiac Capricorn
- zodiac Capricorn
Fortune telling with The Devil
- Adultery and unfaithfulness
- A string of extremely bad luck is coming your way
- Beware evil influences and wolves in sheep's clothing
The light and the shadow
In its light, The Devil: Appreciating the luxuries that life has to offer Being comfortable in your own skin Enjoying your sexuality Splurging on an expensive personal item Embracing the fact that everyone has a darker side Dealing with unhealthy impulses in healthy ways
The reversed trap of The Devil: Putting excessive emphasis on appearances Always wanting more Valuing possessions more than people or relationships Allowing base instincts to govern your life Being selfish Attributing your own dark impulses to outside forces or other people
- Archetype: The Shadow, The Other
Questions to ask The Devil
- What enslaves me? How can I set myself free?
- How can I re-evaluate the importance I assign to material things?
- To what extent do my cravings define me?
The extended portrait, upright
The Devil card in the upright position represents addiction, temptation, and bondage. It suggests materialism and an unhealthy obsession with worldly desires. This card can also represent manipulation and a sense of being controlled by outside forces.
The extended portrait, reversed
When the Devil card appears in the reversed position, it can indicate a release from bondage and a breaking free from negative patterns. It may also suggest taking control and rejecting materialism. This card can also represent freedom from addiction and obsession.
Card details
- Arcana: Major Arcana
- Yes or no: a leaning no
- Published: June 28, 2026
Read The Devil in context
- The Devil — love meaning
- The Devil — career meaning
- The Devil — money meaning
- The Devil — yes-or-no verdict
- The Devil reversed, in full
The Devil in combinations
- The Devil and Nine of Wands
- The Devil and Ace of Wands
- The Devil and Nine of Swords
- The Devil and Five of Wands
Old correspondences
| System | Correspondence |
|---|---|
| Zodiac | Capricorn — card of the Capricorn decan |