The Devil Tarot Card Meaning: Upright, Reversed & Love

A chill runs through you. The horned figure looms over two chained humans, a pentagram blazing above his head. But look closer—those chains around their necks are loose. They could slip free at any time. They choose to stay. The Devil has appeared in your reading, and the truth he reveals is uncomfortable: your prison is one you built yourself.

The Devil is card number 15 in the Major Arcana, representing bondage, addiction, materialism, shadow self, unhealthy attachments, and the illusions that keep us chained. This card doesn't mean evil—it means you've given your power away to something that doesn't deserve it.

Quick Reference

Upright Meaning

When The Devil appears upright, something has a hold on you—and it's time to name it honestly. This could be an addiction (substance, screen time, shopping, food), a toxic relationship, a soul-crushing job you stay in for the paycheck, or a pattern of self-sabotage you keep repeating. The Devil represents anything that controls you by exploiting your fears and desires.

The most important detail of this card is those loose chains. You are not actually trapped. The Devil's power over you is an illusion—one maintained by your own fear, comfort, or denial. The moment you decide to leave, you can. But that requires confronting an uncomfortable truth about what you've been tolerating and why.

This card also represents the shadow self—the parts of you that you hide, deny, or project onto others. Jealousy, greed, rage, lust, shame—these are all Devil territory. The card doesn't ask you to eliminate these qualities (that's impossible). It asks you to look at them honestly, own them, and stop letting them run your life from the darkness.

Reversed Meaning

The Devil reversed is one of the most liberating cards in the tarot. It signals that you're breaking free from whatever has been controlling you. The chains are coming off. You're leaving the toxic relationship, quitting the addiction, walking away from the soul-crushing situation. It takes enormous courage—and this card confirms you're doing it.

This reversal can also represent a moment of clarity where you finally see the illusion for what it is. The thing you feared losing no longer holds power over you. The attachment dissolves, not through force but through awareness. You simply see the truth, and the truth sets you free.

The Devil in Love & Relationships

If you're single: The Devil warns about unhealthy relationship patterns. Are you attracted to people who are bad for you? Do you confuse intensity with love, or control with care? This card asks for honest self-reflection before entering a new relationship. Break the pattern now, or you'll repeat it with a new face.

If you're in a relationship: This card can indicate a relationship dynamic that has become toxic—codependency, manipulation, jealousy, or power imbalance. It doesn't automatically mean you need to leave, but it does mean you need to see the situation clearly and address what's unhealthy. If both partners are willing to do the work, transformation is possible. If not, the chains need to come off.

The Devil in Career & Finances

In career readings, The Devil often points to feeling trapped in a job you hate—staying for money, security, or fear of the unknown. Golden handcuffs are still handcuffs. If your work is draining your soul, this card urges you to plan your escape. It can also warn of workplace toxicity, unethical practices, or an unhealthy relationship with ambition.

Financially, The Devil represents materialism, debt, or an unhealthy relationship with money. Are you spending to fill an emotional void? Are you in debt because you can't say no? This card asks you to examine your financial behaviors with brutal honesty and start making changes. Freedom begins with awareness.

The Devil as Advice

Name your chains. What are you enslaved to? What habit, relationship, belief, or fear is running your life? The Devil's greatest trick is making you believe you can't leave. You can. The chains are loose—you just have to reach up and take them off. It won't be comfortable, but the freedom on the other side is worth every ounce of discomfort. Face the shadow. Reclaim your power.

Card Combinations

• The Devil + The Lovers = A relationship tested by temptation, jealousy, or toxic patterns. The choice between healthy love and destructive passion.
• The Devil + Strength = The inner courage needed to overcome addiction or unhealthy attachment. Self-compassion breaks the chains.
• The Devil + The Sun = Breaking free from darkness into light. After confronting your shadow, joy and clarity return.

Explore more:

• Major Arcana Deep Dive
• Complete Tarot Card Meanings List