Seven of Swords in the Rider Waite Tarot
Table of contents
Table of contents
See another card
- The Fool
- The Magician I
- The High Priestess II
- The Empress III
- The Emperor IV
- The Hierophant V
- The Lovers VI
- The Chariot VII
- Strength VIII
- The Hermit IX
- Wheel of Fortune X
- Justice XI
- The Hanged Man XII
- Death XIII
- Temperance XIV
- The Devil XV
- The Tower XVI
- The Star XVII
- The Moon XVIII
- The Sun XIX
- Judgement XX
- The World XXI
- Ace of Wands
- Two of Wands
- Three of Wands
- Four of Wands
- Five of Wands
- Six of Wands
- Seven of Wands
- Eight of Wands
- Nine of Wands
- Ten of Wands
- Page of Wands
- Knight of Wands
- Queen of Wands
- King of Wands
- Ace of Cups
- Two of Cups
- Three of Cups
- Four of Cups
- Five of Cups
- Six of Cups
- Seven of Cups
- Eight of Cups
- Nine of Cups
- Ten of Cups
- Page of Cups
- Knight of Cups
- Queen of Cups
- King of Cups
- Ace of Swords
- Two of Swords
- Three of Swords
- Four of Swords
- Five of Swords
- Six of Swords
- Seven of Swords
- Eight of Swords
- Nine of Swords
- Ten of Swords
- Page of Swords
- Knight of Swords
- Queen of Swords
- King of Swords
- Ace of Pentacles
- Two of Pentacles
- Three of Pentacles
- Four of Pentacles
- Five of Pentacles
- Six of Pentacles
- Seven of Pentacles
- Eight of Pentacles
- Nine of Pentacles
- Ten of Pentacles
- Page of Pentacles
- Knight of Pentacles
- Queen of Pentacles
- King of Pentacles
Seven of Swords Rider Waite Smith : meaning and interpretation
Minor
Air
The Seven of Swords, in its general meaning, is the card of cunning, secrecy, strategy… but also of potential lies or shirking responsibility. It represents a situation in which not everything is said, not everything is clear, and appearances can be deceiving. It is a card that requires finesse, not revealing all your plans… but without betraying your conscience. It can also denounce a form of cowardice: avoiding conflict instead of facing it, running away instead of explaining yourself, or acting in the shadows for fear of the consequences. However, it can also be useful in situations where discretion is your best ally. In short, the Seven of Swords tells you: ‘Act intelligently, but without duplicity. Protect yourself, but don’t lose your integrity.’
RWS Tarot : Arcana Seven of Swords readings
Love / Sentimental reading
with the card Seven of Swords
In matters of the heart, the Seven of Swords is often a card of secrets, things left unsaid, or furtive behaviour. It can indicate infidelity, a hidden relationship, or simply a lack of sincerity in the couple. Someone may be running away from their emotional responsibilities or avoiding confrontation in the hope that things will blow over. In some cases, this could also be you: the card then speaks of a fear of fully committing or a strategy to avoid getting hurt. For single people, it sometimes evokes a hidden flirtation or a concealed attraction. It invites you to question your intentions and those of the other person, and not to ignore any discordant signals. The Seven of Swords does not necessarily herald betrayal, but it points to a lack of transparency and asks you to clarify any unclear situations in order to protect your heart with clarity.
Professional / Work reading
with the card Seven of Swords
Professionally, the Seven of Swords is the card of strategy and discretion, but also of the risk of manipulation or deception. It may indicate that you are developing a plan behind the scenes, perhaps to leave a job, launch a confidential project, or protect yourself in an unstable environment. Conversely, it may also signal that someone around you is acting behind your back, withholding information, or trying to get ahead of you by dubious means. It is an ambivalent card: it urges you to be vigilant and mentally sharp, but also warns you against excessive cunning or duplicity. Acting in secret can sometimes be necessary… as long as you don’t betray your own values. The message is clear: be smart, but not dishonest. And keep an eye on what’s going on behind the scenes.
Financial / Material / Money reading
with the card Seven of Swords
In financial matters, the Seven of Swords evokes caution, discreet manoeuvres, or fear of being robbed or betrayed. This may be a period when you prefer to keep your plans or money confidential, either out of mistrust or strategy. This card may indicate that you do not fully trust a partner, advisor, or transaction, and your intuition is probably right. It invites you to check the terms of a contract, keep an eye on your accounts, and avoid naivety. On the other hand, it may also suggest that you are tempted to ‘bend the rules’ to get what you want — be careful not to cross an ethical line. The Seven of Swords tells you that the best material security comes from a well-thought-out strategy… and integrity.
Family reading
with the card Seven of Swords
In the family sphere, the Seven of Swords indicates hidden tensions, secrets or truths that are being avoided. There may be underlying unease in family interactions, where everyone avoids sensitive topics or plays a double game to preserve apparent peace. This card speaks of indirect communication, heavy silences or unconscious family strategies to keep up appearances. Sometimes it reflects a need to discreetly distance oneself from a toxic or intrusive environment. It can also signal that a family member is acting behind the scenes, not always with bad intentions, but in a clumsy manner. The Seven of Swords encourages you to step out of the game of appearances: be honest without being brutal, clear without revealing everything, and above all, act in accordance with your inner truth, even if it means distancing yourself.
Spiritual reading
with the card Seven of Swords
Spiritually, the Seven of Swords is a card that awakens awareness of one’s own masks, escapism, or mental defence mechanisms. It invites you to question your hidden truths, buried fears, and areas of darkness. It can mark a period when you feel like you are straying from your path or lying to yourself to avoid profound change. This card suggests that it is time to acknowledge your pretences and face what you are avoiding. It is also a card of spiritual strategy: it encourages you to observe, to learn in silence, to move forward in the shadows if necessary… but always while maintaining an ethical compass and remaining true to your essence. True awakening often begins when we stop running away from what we already know deep down.
See another card
- The Fool
- The Magician I
- The High Priestess II
- The Empress III
- The Emperor IV
- The Hierophant V
- The Lovers VI
- The Chariot VII
- Strength VIII
- The Hermit IX
- Wheel of Fortune X
- Justice XI
- The Hanged Man XII
- Death XIII
- Temperance XIV
- The Devil XV
- The Tower XVI
- The Star XVII
- The Moon XVIII
- The Sun XIX
- Judgement XX
- The World XXI
- Ace of Wands
- Two of Wands
- Three of Wands
- Four of Wands
- Five of Wands
- Six of Wands
- Seven of Wands
- Eight of Wands
- Nine of Wands
- Ten of Wands
- Page of Wands
- Knight of Wands
- Queen of Wands
- King of Wands
- Ace of Cups
- Two of Cups
- Three of Cups
- Four of Cups
- Five of Cups
- Six of Cups
- Seven of Cups
- Eight of Cups
- Nine of Cups
- Ten of Cups
- Page of Cups
- Knight of Cups
- Queen of Cups
- King of Cups
- Ace of Swords
- Two of Swords
- Three of Swords
- Four of Swords
- Five of Swords
- Six of Swords
- Seven of Swords
- Eight of Swords
- Nine of Swords
- Ten of Swords
- Page of Swords
- Knight of Swords
- Queen of Swords
- King of Swords
- Ace of Pentacles
- Two of Pentacles
- Three of Pentacles
- Four of Pentacles
- Five of Pentacles
- Six of Pentacles
- Seven of Pentacles
- Eight of Pentacles
- Nine of Pentacles
- Ten of Pentacles
- Page of Pentacles
- Knight of Pentacles
- Queen of Pentacles
- King of Pentacles
5-Card spread
Seven of Swords and its positions in a 5-card draw.
Want to better understand how to interpret the card Seven of Swords according to its position in a cross drawing? What does it symbolise as a situation, obstacle, resource, piece of advice or way out? Explore its many facets and find a detailed reading of the card Seven of Swords in every position of the 5-card cross spread Rider Waite.
