The Devil tarot card
Major Arcana

The Devil Tarot Card Meaning

#Attachment#Temptation#Shadow

Upright: Attachment, temptation and the chains you’ve agreed to wear. Look honestly at what controls you — the shackles are looser than they seem.

Element & correspondence: Earth · Capricorn

What does The Devil mean when upright?

Attachment, temptation and the chains you’ve agreed to wear. Look honestly at what controls you — the shackles are looser than they seem.

What does The Devil mean when reversed?

Breaking free, regaining control or confronting an addiction or unhealthy pattern. Liberation is possible now.

#Liberation#Reclaiming power#Detachment

What does The Devil mean in love?

Upright: Intense attraction or a possessive dynamic. Ask whether this is love or just habit and craving.

Reversed: Walking away from an unhealthy bond, or reclaiming yourself within one. A real chance to be free.

What does The Devil mean for career and money?

Upright: Overwork, money pressure or a job you feel trapped in. Name what holds you there.

Reversed: Breaking out of a toxic situation or habit. Step by step, you’re taking your power back.

Is The Devil a yes or no card?

No. Generally a no — caution or an ending is indicated. Reversed, the answer usually weakens or flips, so read it alongside your question.

What symbols appear on the The Devil card?

A horned figure sits above a man and a woman who are loosely chained at the neck. The chains are slack and could be lifted off; they stay only because they don’t realize they can leave. The inverted pentagram above his head marks bondage to the material.

What should I do when The Devil appears?

See your chains clearly — then decide whether to keep them.

Want your own reading?

Draw from the full 78-card deck. Choose a single card, a three-card spread, or a love, career or money spread.

Draw cards now

More Major Arcana cards

Tarot interpretation is a tool for reflection, not a fixed answer. Card images are the Rider-Waite-Smith deck (1909), in the public domain.