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
That will in turn spread on social media, which often plays a disproportional role in boosting these disinformation efforts by providing nearly unlimited platforms for unfiltered content and fallacious and deceptive claims.
—
Peter Suciu, Forbes, 23 Dec. 2024
The law is intended to protect consumers from false advertising or deceptive practices, which the suit claims applies to the promotion of women's sports that may include transgender participants.
—Josh Hammer, Newsweek, 23 Dec. 2024
Jambon-beurre is one of those classic French dishes of a deceptive simplicity; its success depends entirely on the superlativeness of its ingredients.
—Helen Rosner, The New Yorker, 22 Dec. 2024
Online financial scams have become increasingly sophisticated, targeting unsuspecting individuals through various deceptive techniques.
—Kurt Knutsson, Cyberguy Report, Fox News, 19 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for deceptive 
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Peter Suciu, Forbes, 23 Dec. 2024
The law is intended to protect consumers from false advertising or deceptive practices, which the suit claims applies to the promotion of women's sports that may include transgender participants.
—Josh Hammer, Newsweek, 23 Dec. 2024
Jambon-beurre is one of those classic French dishes of a deceptive simplicity; its success depends entirely on the superlativeness of its ingredients.
—Helen Rosner, The New Yorker, 22 Dec. 2024
Online financial scams have become increasingly sophisticated, targeting unsuspecting individuals through various deceptive techniques.
—Kurt Knutsson, Cyberguy Report, Fox News, 19 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for deceptive
Articles Related to deceptive
Dictionary Entries Near deceptive
Cite this Entry
“Deceptive.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/deceptive. Accessed 30 Dec. 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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