as in misleading
tending or having power to deceive
the deceiving nature of most flat maps of the globe causes some people to believe erroneously that Greenland is actually bigger than South America
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in tricking
to cause to believe what is untrue
he went to great lengths to deceive his family about the nature of his new job at the mall
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of deceiving
Raja Krishnamoorthi, MSNBC Newsweek, 9 Apr. 2025
Augusta National will quickly expose even the most microscopic weakness in one’s game with its winding fairways and deceiving putting surfaces.
—Gabby Herzig, New York Times, 8 Apr. 2025
Appearances, though, can be deceiving.
—Bob Harkins, New York Times, 8 Apr. 2025
Seattle’s 1-2-3 record, then, is deceiving.
—Tom Krasovic, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 Apr. 2025
But those numbers are deceiving, given his form over the last six weeks of the season.
—Mark Zeigler, San Diego Union-Tribune, 24 Mar. 2025
Any clinic that is promising instant, full growth in a few weeks is deceiving you.
—Rowan Briggs, The Mercury News, 19 Mar. 2025
The 21-year-old actress appeared on the March 11 broadcast of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon and opened up about deceiving a nosey photographer before her wedding to Jake Bongiovi.
—Raven Brunner, People.com, 13 Mar. 2025
The justices acted on an unusual Republican effort to file suit in the Supreme Court over the Democratic states' use of their own state courts to sue fossil fuel companies for deceiving the public about the risks of their products contributing to climate change.
—arkansasonline.com, 11 Mar. 2025
Verb
The show, hosted by actor Alan Cumming and set in a remote Scottish castle, features reality TV veterans and celebrities working together—and often deceiving each other—in challenges for a cash prize.
—Raja Krishnamoorthi, MSNBC Newsweek, 9 Apr. 2025
Augusta National will quickly expose even the most microscopic weakness in one’s game with its winding fairways and deceiving putting surfaces.
—Gabby Herzig, New York Times, 8 Apr. 2025
Appearances, though, can be deceiving.
—Bob Harkins, New York Times, 8 Apr. 2025
Seattle’s 1-2-3 record, then, is deceiving.
—Tom Krasovic, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 Apr. 2025
But those numbers are deceiving, given his form over the last six weeks of the season.
—Mark Zeigler, San Diego Union-Tribune, 24 Mar. 2025
Any clinic that is promising instant, full growth in a few weeks is deceiving you.
—Rowan Briggs, The Mercury News, 19 Mar. 2025
The 21-year-old actress appeared on the March 11 broadcast of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon and opened up about deceiving a nosey photographer before her wedding to Jake Bongiovi.
—Raven Brunner, People.com, 13 Mar. 2025
The justices acted on an unusual Republican effort to file suit in the Supreme Court over the Democratic states' use of their own state courts to sue fossil fuel companies for deceiving the public about the risks of their products contributing to climate change.
—arkansasonline.com, 11 Mar. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for deceiving
Adjective
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Payment providers can face significant card brand penalties if they are found to facilitate deceptive behavior.—
Rochelle Blease,
Forbes.com,
13 June 2025
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Don't fall prey to deceptive marketing language and inflated MSRP prices—our tips only take a few moments.—
Louryn Strampe,
Wired News,
12 June 2025
Verb
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James cuts back inside onto his right foot, fooling the defender, rather than going to the byline off his left foot.—
Beren Cross,
New York Times,
8 Apr. 2025
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Each plays a role in fooling their foe, who captures the turtle, while the deer, heeding the turtle’s good counsel, manages a sly escape.—
John Nemec,
The Conversation,
7 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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An excellent demo is what distinguishes the truth from false claims.—
Claire Trimble,
Forbes.com,
12 June 2025
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Most notably, Trump has clashed with South Africa over false claims that white South African farmers are being regularly killed by Black locals, leading Washington to cut all US aid to the country and extend some white Afrikaners refugee status.—
Mathias Hammer,
semafor.com,
12 June 2025
Verb
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Legal And Compliance Risks Defamatory content, misinformation or misleading claims can lead to legal challenges, including defamation lawsuits and regulatory scrutiny.—
Scott Keever,
Forbes.com,
8 Apr. 2025
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Avoiding misleading statements to the news media which can worsen a crisis and expand its longevity.—
Rick Pozniak,
Boston Herald,
1 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Deceiving.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deceiving. Accessed 19 Jun. 2025.
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