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
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
Whenever Carolyn’s name has come up in passing as a possible Traitor, it has been immediately nixed, with folks unable to believe that the Survivor finalist could ever pull off being so deceptive.
—
Dalton Ross, EW.com, 3 Feb. 2025
However, there’s also a darker side — beware of deceptive words or misleading information.
—Valerie Mesa, People.com, 28 Jan. 2025
But McCollum is lethal in the midrange and uses his change-of-pace dribble incredibly well to be deceptive to other ballhandlers.
—Sam Vecenie, The Athletic, 23 Jan. 2025
There was a deceptive simplicity to the first season and a bit of a meandering nimbleness to it that, ironically, gave the story more focus and allowed its quirks to shine through.
—Erik Kain, Forbes, 16 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for deceptive 
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.
Dalton Ross, EW.com, 3 Feb. 2025
However, there’s also a darker side — beware of deceptive words or misleading information.
—Valerie Mesa, People.com, 28 Jan. 2025
But McCollum is lethal in the midrange and uses his change-of-pace dribble incredibly well to be deceptive to other ballhandlers.
—Sam Vecenie, The Athletic, 23 Jan. 2025
There was a deceptive simplicity to the first season and a bit of a meandering nimbleness to it that, ironically, gave the story more focus and allowed its quirks to shine through.
—Erik Kain, Forbes, 16 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for deceptive
Articles Related to deceptive
Dictionary Entries Near deceptive
Cite this Entry
“Deceptive.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/deceptive. Accessed 10 Feb. 2025.
Copy CitationKids 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
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share