decoy

1 of 2

noun

1
hunting : a pond into which wildfowl are lured for capture
2
: someone or something used to lure or lead another into a trap
the commander of that sub … took us to be a decoyH. A. Chippendale
especially, hunting : an artificial bird used to attract live birds within shot
3
: someone or something used to draw attention away from another
had a decoy distract the guard

decoy

2 of 2

verb

decoyed; decoying; decoys

transitive verb

hunting
: to lure by or as if by a decoy : entice
decoying ducks to a pond
The undercover cop decoyed the fugitive into a trap.
Choose the Right Synonym for decoy

lure, entice, inveigle, decoy, tempt, seduce mean to lead astray from one's true course.

lure implies a drawing into danger, evil, or difficulty through attracting and deceiving.

lured naive investors with get-rich-quick schemes

entice suggests drawing by artful or adroit means.

advertising designed to entice new customers

inveigle implies enticing by cajoling or flattering.

fund-raisers inveigling wealthy alumni

decoy implies a luring into entrapment by artifice.

attempting to decoy the enemy into an ambush

tempt implies the presenting of an attraction so strong that it overcomes the restraints of conscience or better judgment.

tempted by the offer of money

seduce implies a leading astray by persuasion or false promises.

seduced by assurances of assistance

Examples of decoy in a Sentence

Noun He had a decoy distract the guard while he jumped over the fence. we set the decoy afloat in the marsh and from the blind waited for the ducks to arrive Verb tacky souvenir shops to which first-time tourists had been decoyed into spending their hard-earned money
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace (1999) After making her small screen debut aged eight, a 14-year-old Knightley entered the big leagues in George Lucas’s sci-fi epic, as a dutiful handmaiden to the pale-faced queen (Natalie Portman), who serves as her steely decoy. Radhika Seth, Vogue, 26 Mar. 2025 Unlike the earlier version, which was played mostly for laughs, this adaptation features one of the saddest and most moving scenes in the Disney canon, when the rejected duckling takes solace in playing with the one creature who will not judge him — a duck decoy. Jeremy Fassler, Vulture, 2 Mar. 2025
Verb
Overall, Russian forces launched 117 Shahed and decoy drones overnight, Ukraine’s air force said Wednesday morning, adding that 56 drones were destroyed and 48 more jammed by the defense forces. Illia Novikov and Hanna Arhirova, Los Angeles Times, 26 Mar. 2025 Meanwhile, Russian forces launched one ballistic missile and 139 long-range strike and decoy drones into Ukraine overnight, according to the Ukrainian air force. TIME, 25 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for decoy

Word History

Etymology

Noun and Verb

probably from Dutch de kooi, literally, the cage

First Known Use

Noun

1630, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1648, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of decoy was in 1630

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Decoy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/decoy. Accessed 5 Apr. 2025.

Kids Definition

decoy

1 of 2 noun
1
: something intended to lure into a trap
especially : an artificial bird used to attract live birds within shooting range
2
: a person used to lead another into a trap

decoy

2 of 2 verb
di-ˈkȯi,
ˈdē-ˌkȯi
: to attract by or as if by a decoy : entice

More from Merriam-Webster on decoy

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