deceive

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb deceive differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of deceive are beguile, delude, and mislead. While all these words mean "to lead astray or frustrate usually by underhandedness," deceive implies imposing a false idea or belief that causes ignorance, bewilderment, or helplessness.

tried to deceive me about the cost

In what contexts can beguile take the place of deceive?

Although the words beguile and deceive have much in common, beguile stresses the use of charm and persuasion in deceiving.

was beguiled by false promises

When is delude a more appropriate choice than deceive?

While the synonyms delude and deceive are close in meaning, delude implies deceiving so thoroughly as to obscure the truth.

we were deluded into thinking we were safe

When is it sensible to use mislead instead of deceive?

The words mislead and deceive can be used in similar contexts, but mislead implies a leading astray that may or may not be intentional.

I was misled by the confusing sign

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of deceive Prosecutors said the counterfeit security seals are used to deceive customs officials and were also shipped to the U.S. from China. Glenn Taylor, Sourcing Journal, 28 Jan. 2025 Money problems often lead to people making bad choices, deceiving one's partner (intentionally or not) being a common example. Barbara A. Perry, Newsweek, 28 Jan. 2025 The plaintiffs argued the energy companies deceived the public about the effects of fossil fuels on the environment and were in part responsible for the damage incurred by climate catastrophes, such as flooding and sea level rise. Racquel Bazos, Baltimore Sun, 27 Jan. 2025 Today’s attackers have access to so much information that can be plugged into generative AI tools, enabling them to produce convincing outputs that mimic genuine interactions and increase their chances at deceiving their victims. Mike Britton, Forbes, 24 Jan. 2025 See All Example Sentences for deceive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for deceive
Verb
  • Lohse even managed to fool historian Jonathan Petropoulos, who is at the center of the documentary, and spent years investigating Lohse, only to be tricked by him.
    The Editors of ARTnews, ARTnews.com, 20 Feb. 2025
  • Was their advocacy for new energy sources just a ploy to fool their constituents and get reelected?
    Dan Perry, Newsweek, 19 Feb. 2025
Verb
  • That difference between them proves rather problematic when Stuart tricks Ted into merging their firm with another that's coincidentally run by Ted's ex, Samantha (Rachelle Goulding), and then cuts his partner out of the deal.
    Kelly Lawler, USA TODAY, 25 Feb. 2025
  • Phishing emails, malware-laden attachments and fraudulent schemes now lurk within spam messages, tricking unsuspecting users into clicking malicious links, revealing sensitive information or even infecting their devices with ransomware and spyware.
    Kurt Knutsson, CyberGuy Report, Fox News, 23 Feb. 2025
Verb
  • That included suing Capital One for allegedly misleading people about its offerings for high-interest savings accounts and accusing Experian of improperly investigating consumer complaints of errors in credit reports.
    Kate Gibson, CBS News, 12 Feb. 2025
  • Scenes can have the power to mislead us into an inaccurate view of what typically happens.
    Joshua Rothman, The New Yorker, 10 Feb. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Deceive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deceive. Accessed 27 Feb. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on deceive

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