The Devil Tarot Card Meaning: Upright, Reversed, Love & Yes/No
Notice what has a hold on you: a habit, a relationship or a fear. The chains are often looser than they look.
| Arcana | Major Arcana |
|---|---|
| Number | 15 (XV) |
| Element | Earth |
| Astrology | Capricorn |
| Hebrew letter | Ayin (Golden Dawn attribution) |
| Yes or no | No |
| Upright | attachment, temptation, unhealthy patterns, restriction |
| Reversed | breaking free, awareness, releasing a habit |
Pamela Colman Smith · Rider–Waite–Smith (1909)
The Devil symbolism
A horned, bat-winged figure squats on a black pedestal, holding a torch pointing downward. A naked man and woman stand chained to the pedestal, with small horns and tails of their own. The chains around their necks are loose enough to be lifted off. The card mirrors The Lovers, but here connection has become bondage.
The descriptions on this site refer to the Rider-Waite-Smith deck (1909), illustrated by Pamela Colman Smith and designed with Arthur Edward Waite, which is the reference for most modern tarot. Other decks may show different imagery with a similar meaning.
Upright meaning
- attachment
- temptation
- unhealthy patterns
- restriction
The Devil is the card of attachment, temptation and unhealthy patterns. It shows where you feel trapped, whether by a habit, a relationship, a job, debt or a belief about yourself. The key insight is that the chains are looser than they appear: the power of the situation often comes from your own agreement to it.
The card can also point to intense desire, materialism or obsession. It is not a moral judgement; it is an invitation to look honestly at what controls you. Its number is fifteen.
Reversed meaning
- breaking free
- awareness
- releasing a habit
Reversed, The Devil is often a positive sign: awareness, breaking free and releasing a habit or relationship that held you back. You are starting to see the chains for what they are.
In some readings, the reversal can also show a relapse or a deeper dive into denial. Context tells you which.
New to reversals? Our guide to reading reversed tarot cards explains the different ways readers interpret an upside-down card.
Drew The Devil in a love reading? Tell Mystica about your situation in the free chat and see what it could mean for your relationship.
Ask the love chatThe Devil in love and relationships
Upright in love
In love, The Devil points to intense attraction and passion, but also possessiveness, jealousy or a relationship that feels addictive. It asks whether the bond is healthy or controlling.
Reversed in love
Reversed in love, the card suggests freeing yourself from a toxic dynamic, or a relationship moving toward healthier ground.
The Devil as feelings
As feelings, The Devil means strong physical attraction and possibly obsession. The feelings are intense but not always healthy.
What about work? Ask the free chat what The Devil could be telling you about your job, an offer or your business.
Ask the career chatCareer and work
At work, The Devil can describe feeling trapped in a job for money, or unhealthy workplace dynamics. It asks what you would do if fear were not a factor.
Money and finances
With money, the card warns about debt, overspending and materialism. It encourages you to look at your relationship with money honestly.
Is The Devil a yes or no card?
No
The Devil is a no. The situation is likely to keep you stuck or tempt you into something that does not serve you.
Want to ask your own question? Try our yes or no tarot, which uses the same yes, no and maybe values shown on this page.
Number, element and astrology
The Devil is card 15 (XV) of the Major Arcana, the 22 trump cards that describe life's big lessons and turning points. In the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn's system, which shaped the Rider-Waite-Smith deck, it is attributed to the Hebrew letter Ayin and to Capricorn, giving it the element of earth. In numerology, 15 reduces to 6, linking it with The Lovers.
Want to apply it to your own situation? Ask Mystica what The Devil says about what you are going through right now. Free, no signup.
Ask in the free chatAdvice from The Devil
Name what controls you and loosen its grip one step at a time. You have more freedom than you think.
Example reading
Illustrative example
Someone who keeps returning to a relationship they know is unhealthy draws The Devil. The reading explores what keeps them there, such as fear of being alone or comfortable routines, and points out that the chains are looser than they feel.
This example is written by our editors to show how the card is read in context. It is not a real client's reading. See our tarot spreads for how positions change a card's meaning.
The Devil in question readings
What The Devil says when it lands in a specific position. These are the interpretations our free readings by question show for this card.
- As their feelings (Does my ex still love me?): A strong pull still ties this person to you, but it may be more attachment than tenderness. Desire, habit, or a sense of unfinished possession keeps you on their mind. It is intense, yet not necessarily healthy or freely chosen.
- As what they are not showing (Does he like me?): They may be hiding a temptation they feel conflicted about, or a situation that limits them. Something ties this person down, a habit, an attachment, or a fear, and they may not want you to see how much it controls their choices.
- As the outcome in a reconciliation reading (Will he come back?): This leans toward a return to old patterns if nothing changes. You may get pulled back together, but the question is whether it would free you or bind you again. Real progress here means choosing freedom over the familiar hook.
- As what is coming in love (Will I find love?): Strong attraction and chemistry are coming, possibly with someone intensely magnetic. Enjoy the passion, but stay grounded. This card asks you to notice whether the connection brings you more freedom or less, and to choose accordingly.
- As the outcome for work (Will I get the job?): This leans toward staying bound to the current situation unless you actively change it. Material gain is possible, but at a price. Be wary of shortcuts, risky deals, or promises that seem too good; they may come with strings.
- As advice (What should I do?): Choose freedom over the familiar hook. Ask which option gives you more self-respect and less dependency. If a choice feels compulsive rather than chosen, step back. You have more power here than you have been using.
- Reversed in a love reading (Will we get back together?): Reversed, the chains are loosening. One or both of you is breaking free from an obsessive or unhealthy bond. This favors release and self-respect over reunion; if you ever reconnect, it would only work on truly healthier terms.
Pulled The Devil next to another card? See what they mean together with the tarot card combinations tool.
Popular combinations with The Devil: The Devil + The Lovers.
The Devil as a birth card or year card
In the birth card system of Mary K. Greer, The Devil belongs to constellation 6, together with The Lovers. Find out whether it is one of your cards with the tarot birth card calculator, or whether it rules your year with the tarot year card calculator.
Related cards
Dream symbols linked to this card
Snakes. Our dream dictionary explains how the same symbolism appears in dreams.
Ask the cards about your situation
Draw three cards for your own question. Every card in your result links back to its meaning here.
Free tarot readingCard of the daySources and further reading
- Rider–Waite Tarot · Wikipedia
- Major Arcana · Wikipedia
- Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn (astrological and elemental correspondences) · Wikipedia
- A. E. Waite, The Pictorial Key to the Tarot (1910), the companion book to the deck illustrated by Pamela Colman Smith
Reviewed by The Mystica Editorial Team under our editorial standards. Last reviewed: September 28, 2026.
Frequently asked questions
What does The Devil mean in tarot?
Upright, The Devil means attachment, temptation, unhealthy patterns, restriction. The Devil is the card of attachment, temptation and unhealthy patterns.
What does The Devil reversed mean?
Reversed, The Devil is often a positive sign: awareness, breaking free and releasing a habit or relationship that held you back. You are starting to see the chains for what they are.
What does The Devil mean in love?
In love, The Devil points to intense attraction and passion, but also possessiveness, jealousy or a relationship that feels addictive. It asks whether the bond is healthy or controlling. Reversed in love, the card suggests freeing yourself from a toxic dynamic, or a relationship moving toward healthier ground.
Is The Devil a yes or no card?
The Devil is a no. The situation is likely to keep you stuck or tempt you into something that does not serve you.
Is The Devil card evil?
No. In tarot, The Devil is a symbol of attachment, temptation and self-imposed limits. It invites awareness and freedom rather than predicting anything sinister.