as in tempting
to lead away from a usual or proper course by offering some pleasure or advantage
tacky souvenir shops to which first-time tourists had been decoyed into spending their hard-earned money
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of decoying
What these guys really care about is decoying ducks in and seeing the show.
—
Alex Robinson, Outdoor Life, 9 Oct. 2025
Alex Robinson, Outdoor Life, 9 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for decoying
Verb
-
But that doesn’t mean we never get stuck in the dark corners of our pasts, tempting our regrets to rise up and annihilate us.—
Judy Berman,
Time,
5 May 2026
-
But if the promise of these sights wasn’t tempting enough, Airbnb has a number of jaw-dropping listings that allow travelers to enjoy the country with a more immersive experience—like the opulent Villa Il Cigno, located directly on the shores of Lake Como.—
Merrell Readman,
Travel + Leisure,
11 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
By Ellie Krieger For The Washington Post Deeply savory foods have a magnetic pull for me, luring me in like no sweet possibly could.—
The Washington Post,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
13 May 2026
-
Promising rebates of up to 40% on an infamously expensive art form, tax incentives for film and television production — now offered by nearly four dozen countries — have been instrumental in luring the industry from its traditional capital in Los Angeles to locations around the globe.—
Leila Berger,
Los Angeles Times,
11 May 2026
Verb
-
Hours later, Venus slips into sentimental Cancer, seducing the atmosphere with intuition, emotional waves and spell-binding fantasy.—
Valerie Mesa,
PEOPLE,
8 May 2026
-
Nate plays his older neighbors like a fiddle, seducing them with his beauty, money, and youth.—
Rafaela Bassili,
Vulture,
20 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The potential free-agency solutions don’t seem enticing at this point, either.—
Jesse Newell,
New York Times,
7 May 2026
-
Their 2022 Pinot Noir has enticing aromas of cherry cola, cinnamon, and red raspberry that lead to delicious flavors of cherry, raspberry, cranberry, and brown baking spices.—
Mike DeSimone,
Robb Report,
1 May 2026
Verb
-
Influencers have become a routine part of persuading voters in local, state and national races as legacy media’s reach has waned, though there are few laws on the books regulating them.—
Lia Russell,
Sacbee.com,
15 May 2026
-
Trump wants Xi’s help persuading Tehran to open the Strait of Hormuz and come back to the bargaining table.—
Vivian Salama,
The Atlantic,
14 May 2026
Verb
-
The rage baiting won’t work anymore.—
Jared Weiss,
New York Times,
13 May 2026
-
Diners aren’t baiting first-bite TikTok reaction shots.—
Bill Addison,
Los Angeles Times,
23 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Decoying.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/decoying. Accessed 20 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
