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
Synonyms
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
But deceptive narrative and form are not what wreaked havoc on Catherine’s life.
—
Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 8 Nov. 2024
See Arizona election results | Live coverage on Election Day
Labor activists, on the other hand, have called the measure a deceptive sham.
—Ray Stern, The Arizona Republic, 5 Nov. 2024
On the eve of another chaotic election, journalists have found that highly deceptive political advertisements still run amok there, as do election-fraud conspiracy theories.
—Kaitlyn Tiffany, The Atlantic, 4 Nov. 2024
This deceptive game is the perfect illustration of modern marketing.
—Drew Gerber, Forbes, 4 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for deceptive 
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Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 8 Nov. 2024
See Arizona election results | Live coverage on Election Day
Labor activists, on the other hand, have called the measure a deceptive sham.
—Ray Stern, The Arizona Republic, 5 Nov. 2024
On the eve of another chaotic election, journalists have found that highly deceptive political advertisements still run amok there, as do election-fraud conspiracy theories.
—Kaitlyn Tiffany, The Atlantic, 4 Nov. 2024
This deceptive game is the perfect illustration of modern marketing.
—Drew Gerber, Forbes, 4 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for deceptive
Articles Related to deceptive
Dictionary Entries Near deceptive
Cite this Entry
“Deceptive.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/deceptive. Accessed 30 Nov. 2024.
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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