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
False Hope And Fake Assurances Ransomware operators also exploit victims with false assurances, creating a deceptive sense of hope that there is a way to resolve the situation.
—
Stu Sjouwerman, Forbes, 10 Mar. 2025
That’s the film’s greatest surprise, its secret deceptive pitch.
—Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 7 Mar. 2025
During Monday's hearing, Washington, D.C., federal judge Amy Berman Jackson asked a DOJ lawyer if protecting consumers from unfair, deceptive and abusive practices is a policy of the administration.
—Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 4 Mar. 2025
The Federal Trade Commission works to ensure the advertising Americans see is not deceptive, and the Securities and Exchange Commission makes sure that the companies people invest in are not making false claims about their financial prospects.
—Joseph P. Tomain, The Conversation, 27 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for deceptive
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Stu Sjouwerman, Forbes, 10 Mar. 2025
That’s the film’s greatest surprise, its secret deceptive pitch.
—Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 7 Mar. 2025
During Monday's hearing, Washington, D.C., federal judge Amy Berman Jackson asked a DOJ lawyer if protecting consumers from unfair, deceptive and abusive practices is a policy of the administration.
—Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 4 Mar. 2025
The Federal Trade Commission works to ensure the advertising Americans see is not deceptive, and the Securities and Exchange Commission makes sure that the companies people invest in are not making false claims about their financial prospects.
—Joseph P. Tomain, The Conversation, 27 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for deceptive
Articles Related to deceptive
Cite this Entry
“Deceptive.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/deceptive. Accessed 14 Mar. 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
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