deceptive
adjective
de·cep·tive
di-ˈsep-tiv 
: tending or having power to cause someone to accept as true or valid what is false or invalid : tending or having power to deceive
a deceptive appearance
a pitcher with a deceptive windup
deceptively
adverb
deceptiveness
noun
Synonyms
Examples of deceptive in a Sentence
in his deceptive answer about the vehicle's history, the salesman said that the used car had never been hit by another car
a mail-order firm indicted for deceptive business practices
Recent Examples on the Web
Because of this, fans and former cast members have accused the producers of deceptive editing or depicting inaccurate narratives.
—
Monique Wilson, Glamour, 23 Oct. 2024
Hidden fees, deceptive photos, and rigged reviews are some of the pitfalls to watch out for when booking vacation rentals.
—Christopher Elliott, USA TODAY, 18 Oct. 2024
The provision is part of the FTC’s crackdown on deceptive subscription practices.
—Winston Cho, The Hollywood Reporter, 16 Oct. 2024
Harris calls out Bret Baier and Fox for showing a deceptive clip of Trump that isn't actually what the ex-president said.
—Dominic Patten, Deadline, 16 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for deceptive 
Monique Wilson, Glamour, 23 Oct. 2024
Hidden fees, deceptive photos, and rigged reviews are some of the pitfalls to watch out for when booking vacation rentals.
—Christopher Elliott, USA TODAY, 18 Oct. 2024
The provision is part of the FTC’s crackdown on deceptive subscription practices.
—Winston Cho, The Hollywood Reporter, 16 Oct. 2024
Harris calls out Bret Baier and Fox for showing a deceptive clip of Trump that isn't actually what the ex-president said.
—Dominic Patten, Deadline, 16 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for deceptive
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'deceptive.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Deceptive.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/deceptive. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
deceptive
adjective
de·cep·tive
di-ˈsep-tiv
: tending or having power to deceive : misleading
a deceptive appearance
deceptively
adverb
deceptiveness
noun
Legal Definition
deceptive
adjective
de·cep·tive
di-ˈsep-tiv
: tending or having capacity to deceive
deceptive trade practices
compare fraudulent, misleading
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