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

Lilly has sent cease-and-desist letters to numerous compounding sellers, and both companies have filed lawsuits against numerous compounding pharmacies, alleging trademark infringement and deceptive marketing. —Bob Woods, CNBC, 8 Dec. 2024

Yes, but: Brandi Tuck, executive director of the nonprofit Path Home, has been working with homeless families for nearly two decades and says those numbers are likely deceptive undercounts. —Kale Williams, Axios, 6 Dec. 2024

By its very design, laundering is vastly complex and deceptive—and that can be exaggerated when crypto is used. —Matt Burgess, WIRED, 4 Dec. 2024

While deceptive campaign ads and influencer endorsements were big topics in the past election cycle, political figures possibly engaging in undisclosed influencer marketing is a newer issue. —Kat Tenbarge, NBC News, 4 Dec. 2024

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