1
as in misleading
tending or having power to deceive
in his deceptive answer about the vehicle's history, the salesman said that the used car had never been hit by another car
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in fraudulent
given to or marked by cheating and deception
a mail-order firm indicted for deceptive business practices
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of deceptive
Kristof’s critics have recalled past incidents in which the double Pulitzer Prize winner was betrayed by his reliance on deceptive sources, including identifying an innocent man as the author of the anthrax terror attacks of 2001.
—
David Frum, The Atlantic, 21 May 2026
The Request for Investigation, shared exclusively with Fortune ahead of its public filing on Wednesday, alleges that Roblox is violating Section 5 of the FTC Act through unfair and deceptive practices.
—Catherina Gioino, Fortune, 20 May 2026
That fueled the storyline that Valerie would be the only person actually working on the show who knows the scripts are being written by AI, reflecting how careful, and in some cases, downright deceptive, those in Hollywood are in revealing their use of AI.
—Chris O'Falt, IndieWire, 19 May 2026
Healthcare groups including the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists have said many crisis pregnancy centers use unethical and deceptive practices to bring women into their organizations.
—Jazmin Orozco Rodriguez, CBS News, 18 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for deceptive
David Frum, The Atlantic, 21 May 2026
The Request for Investigation, shared exclusively with Fortune ahead of its public filing on Wednesday, alleges that Roblox is violating Section 5 of the FTC Act through unfair and deceptive practices.
—Catherina Gioino, Fortune, 20 May 2026
That fueled the storyline that Valerie would be the only person actually working on the show who knows the scripts are being written by AI, reflecting how careful, and in some cases, downright deceptive, those in Hollywood are in revealing their use of AI.
—Chris O'Falt, IndieWire, 19 May 2026
Healthcare groups including the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists have said many crisis pregnancy centers use unethical and deceptive practices to bring women into their organizations.
—Jazmin Orozco Rodriguez, CBS News, 18 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for deceptive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for deceptive
Adjective
-
In the case that led to the large sanction, Quinn Emanuel’s client Natera needed to show that science backed up the advertising statements its rival Guardant alleged were false and misleading, Chen noted in his order.—
Ethan Baron,
Mercury News,
27 May 2026
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Job descriptions are too rigid and titles are often misleading and neither tends to truly capture what people actually do.—
Keith Ferrazzi,
Forbes.com,
27 May 2026
Adjective
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The fraudulent wagers resulted in tens of thousands of dollars in profits for bettors, prosecutors said.—
Tom Winter,
NBC news,
28 May 2026
-
Those include persuading a critical number of merchants to accept payments from agents, while also determining who is responsible for failed and fraudulent transactions.—
Jeff John Roberts,
Fortune,
27 May 2026
Adjective
-
Today, rumors circulating on social media in the DRC include false claims that Ebola is not real, that humanitarian workers are descending on the area solely for their own profit and that aid groups are withholding the best care available.—
Gabrielle Emanuel,
NPR,
29 May 2026
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In January, Roberts pleaded guilty to making a false statement for employment and one count of unlawfully possessing a firearm while being in the country illegally.—
Corky Siemaszko,
NBC news,
29 May 2026
Adjective
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After a long weekend that sent people in Britain flocking to beaches, pools and shady parks, London commuters sweltered on Tuesday in subway carriages without air conditioning.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
26 May 2026
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El Claustro, under cloister vaults, is perfect for a shady mid-day lunch of temperature-recalibrating ceviche.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
25 May 2026
Adjective
-
The tradeoff is real, and pretending otherwise would be dishonest.—
Alexander Puutio,
Forbes.com,
27 May 2026
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The election took place amid a surge in violent crime and corruption that has fueled widespread discontent among voters, who largely view candidates as dishonest and unprepared for the presidency.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
16 May 2026
Adjective
-
Falter struggled, but he also wasn’t helped by a replay review that helped the Yankees put up a crooked number in the first inning.—
Pete Grathoff,
Kansas City Star,
27 May 2026
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The storybook structure has a pointed roof, crooked chimney, and the general appearance of something out of a Brothers Grimm illustration.—
David Hochman,
Forbes.com,
26 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Deceptive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deceptive. Accessed 3 Jun. 2026.
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