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

Whenever Carolyn’s name has come up in passing as a possible Traitor, it has been immediately nixed, with folks unable to believe that the Survivor finalist could ever pull off being so deceptive. —Dalton Ross, EW.com, 3 Feb. 2025

However, there’s also a darker side — beware of deceptive words or misleading information. —Valerie Mesa, People.com, 28 Jan. 2025

But McCollum is lethal in the midrange and uses his change-of-pace dribble incredibly well to be deceptive to other ballhandlers. —Sam Vecenie, The Athletic, 23 Jan. 2025

There was a deceptive simplicity to the first season and a bit of a meandering nimbleness to it that, ironically, gave the story more focus and allowed its quirks to shine through. —Erik Kain, Forbes, 16 Jan. 2025

Word History

Etymology

see deception

First Known Use

circa 1611, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing deceptive

• looks can be deceiving/deceptive

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