deceived; deceiving
1
: to cause to accept as true or valid what is false or invalid
deceiving customers about the condition of the cars
bluffing at poker in order to deceive the other players
2
archaic
: ensnare
… he it was whose guile … deceived the mother of mankind …—
John Milton
John Milton3
a
obsolete
: to be false to
You have deceived our trust …—Shakespeare
Shakespeare
b
archaic
: to fail to fulfill
… nor are my hopes deceived.—John Dryden
John Dryden4
archaic
: to while away
These occupations oftentimes deceived the listless hour …—William Wordsworth
William Wordsworth5
obsolete
: cheat
… deceived me of a good sum of money …—William Oldys
William Oldys
: to make someone believe something that is not true : to practice deceit
also
: to give a false impression
appearances can deceive
deceiver
noun
Synonyms
Examples of deceive in a Sentence
Her parents punished her for trying to deceive them.
He was accused of deceiving the customer about the condition of the car.
People who think they can eat whatever they want without harming their health are deceiving themselves.
Remember that appearances can deceive—just because something looks good doesn't mean it is good.
Recent Examples on the Web
Have both deceived themselves about their ambitions, their desires, their essential natures?
—Sara Holdren, Vulture, 7 Nov. 2024
Decisions made in good faith leave you vulnerable to being deceived as the moon clashes with Neptune.
—USA TODAY, 5 Nov. 2024
Boeing in July agreed to plead guilty to conspiracy to commit fraud for deceiving regulators who approved the 737 Max.
—Kate Gibson, CBS News, 5 Nov. 2024
In July, Boeing agreed to plead guilty to conspiracy to commit fraud for deceiving regulators who approved the 737 Max.
—David Koenig, Fortune, 5 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for deceive 
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.
Sara Holdren, Vulture, 7 Nov. 2024
Decisions made in good faith leave you vulnerable to being deceived as the moon clashes with Neptune.
—USA TODAY, 5 Nov. 2024
Boeing in July agreed to plead guilty to conspiracy to commit fraud for deceiving regulators who approved the 737 Max.
—Kate Gibson, CBS News, 5 Nov. 2024
In July, Boeing agreed to plead guilty to conspiracy to commit fraud for deceiving regulators who approved the 737 Max.
—David Koenig, Fortune, 5 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for deceive
Dictionary Entries Near deceive
Cite this Entry
“Deceive.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/deceive. Accessed 30 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share