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

• beguiling
• deceitful
• deceiving
• deluding
• delusive
• delusory
• fallacious
• false
• misleading
• specious

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

Battering ram with deceptive speed (4.51), but struggles catching the ball. —Rob Reischel, Forbes.com, 14 Apr. 2025

Key attributes: Explosive speed, deceptive footwork for separation. —Joe Buscaglia, New York Times, 11 Apr. 2025

In addition to his first-term tariffs, Trump also filed a formal World Trade Organization case against China, alleging deceptive trade practices and intellectual property theft. —David Faris, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Apr. 2025

Scammers and scalpers gravitate to these sites to make a quick buck off of people desperate for the new hotness, and will often elevate prices, post deceptive listings and more to separate you from your money. —K. Thor Jensen, PC Magazine, 3 Apr. 2025

Word History

Etymology

see deception

First Known Use

circa 1611, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing deceptive

• looks can be deceiving/deceptive

Rhymes for deceptive

• perceptive
• receptive
• contraceptive
• nociceptive
• proprioceptive

Kids 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