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
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
The Iranian shadow fleet consists of tankers and associated companies that operate outside normal commercial channels, often using false identities, ship-to-ship transfers, and deceptive documentation to hide Iranian crude and refined products.
—
Claire Carter, The Washington Examiner, 6 Feb. 2026
That deceptive moment of victory, many Syrians have told me, was when everything started to go wrong.
—Robert F. Worth, The Atlantic, 6 Feb. 2026
This type of malware is often spread through fake software updates, malicious email attachments, compromised browser extensions or deceptive ads.
—Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 3 Feb. 2026
Bright sunshine on Sunday will be deceptive as highs will only reach the low to mid-20s.
—Steven Sosna, CBS News, 3 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for deceptive
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Claire Carter, The Washington Examiner, 6 Feb. 2026
That deceptive moment of victory, many Syrians have told me, was when everything started to go wrong.
—Robert F. Worth, The Atlantic, 6 Feb. 2026
This type of malware is often spread through fake software updates, malicious email attachments, compromised browser extensions or deceptive ads.
—Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 3 Feb. 2026
Bright sunshine on Sunday will be deceptive as highs will only reach the low to mid-20s.
—Steven Sosna, CBS News, 3 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for deceptive
Cite this Entry
“Deceptive.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/deceptive. Accessed 14 Feb. 2026.
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
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