deceive

verb

de·​ceive di-ˈsēv How to pronounce deceive (audio)
deceived; deceiving
Synonyms of deceivenext

transitive verb

1
: to cause to accept as true or valid what is false or invalid
deceiving customers about the condition of the cars
bluffing at poker in order to deceive the other players
2
archaic : ensnare
… he it was whose guile … deceived the mother of mankind …—John Milton
3
a
obsolete : to be false to
You have deceived our trust …—Shakespeare
b
archaic : to fail to fulfill
… nor are my hopes deceived.—John Dryden
4
archaic : to while away
These occupations oftentimes deceived the listless hour …—William Wordsworth
5
obsolete : cheat
… deceived me of a good sum of money …—William Oldys

intransitive verb

: to make someone believe something that is not true : to practice deceit
also : to give a false impression
appearances can deceive
deceiver noun
deceivingly
di-ˈsē-viŋ-lē How to pronounce deceive (audio)
adverb

Synonyms

See all Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus 
Choose the Right Synonym for deceive

deceive, mislead, delude, beguile 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

mislead implies a leading astray that may or may not be intentional.

I was misled by the confusing sign

delude implies deceiving so thoroughly as to obscure the truth.

we were deluded into thinking we were safe

beguile stresses the use of charm and persuasion in deceiving.

was beguiled by false promises

Examples of deceive in a Sentence

Her parents punished her for trying to deceive them. He was accused of deceiving the customer about the condition of the car. People who think they can eat whatever they want without harming their health are deceiving themselves. Remember that appearances can deceive—just because something looks good doesn't mean it is good.
Recent Examples on the Web The suit is light on details about how Media Matters' fundraising efforts deceived donors. —Joe Hindy, PCMAG, 27 Mar. 2024 States like Wisconsin have taken the lead on addressing deepfakes — which combine images or videos of candidates — that can deceive voters or spread misinformation. —Journal Sentinel, 21 Mar. 2024 See all Example Sentences for deceive 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'deceive.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French deceivre, from Latin decipere, from de- + capere to take — more at heave entry 1

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of deceive was in the 13th century

Phrases Containing deceive

Dictionary Entries Near deceive

deceivable

deceive

deceive oneself into thinking

See More Nearby Entries 

Cite this Entry

“Deceive.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/deceive. Accessed 16 Apr. 2024.

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Kids Definition

deceive

verb
de·​ceive di-ˈsēv How to pronounce deceive (audio)
deceived; deceiving
1
: to cause to believe what is untrue : mislead
deceived the customer about the condition of the car
2
: to use or practice deceit
deceiver noun
deceivingly
-ˈsē-viŋ-lē How to pronounce deceive (audio)
adverb

Legal Definition

deceive

verb
de·​ceive
deceived; deceiving

transitive verb

: to cause to accept as true or valid what is false or invalid

intransitive verb

: to practice deceit compare defraud, mislead

More from Merriam-Webster on deceive

Nglish: Translation of deceive for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of deceive for Arabic Speakers

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