deceptive

adjective

di-ˈsep-tiv How to pronounce deceptive (audio)
Definition of deceptivenext
1
as in misleading
tending or having power to deceive in his deceptive answer about the vehicle's history, the salesman said that the used car had never been hit by another car

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2
as in fraudulent
given to or marked by cheating and deception a mail-order firm indicted for deceptive business practices

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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 deceptive About 7 in 10 ads carried no AI disclosure, although the count includes uses beyond deceptive impersonations and does not establish how many ads violated a law or misled voters. — Stefani Langehennig, The Conversation, 30 Sep. 2026 Shrinkflation is particularly confusing, perhaps even deceptive, since sticker prices may remain the same even as the amount of product inside the package quietly falls. — Sheldon H. Jacobson, Washington Post, 30 Sep. 2026 Black influencers, some with more than a million followers on Instagram, TikTok and YouTube, warned against deceptive efforts to dissuade Black people from voting. — New York Times, 29 Sep. 2026 The city of Baltimore has accused the company of violating consumer protection laws and engaging in deceptive trade practices by marketing its Grok image generation and editing tool as generally safe. — Lora Kolodny, CNBC, 28 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for deceptive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for deceptive
  1. misleading
  2. fraudulent
  3. false
  4. shady
  5. dishonest
  6. crooked
Adjective
  • The women, many of whom were first-time surrogates, say they were given misleading or incomplete information about the couple’s family situation and intentions.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 6 Oct. 2026
  • Low primary turnout can also lead to unexpected results – and these results can create misleading perceptions of the election.
    — Robert Boatright, The Conversation, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of misleading
Adjective
  • Avira’s Browser Safety component installs as an extension for Chrome, Edge, Firefox, and Opera to keep the browser away from dangerous and fraudulent websites.
    — Neil J. Rubenking, PC Magazine, 30 Sep. 2026
  • Means also was found guilty on misdemeanor charges of presenting false or misleading information in support of an insurance claim and making a knowingly false or fraudulent statement to obtain workers’ compensation benefits.
    — Rosalio Ahumada, Sacbee.com, 30 Sep. 2026
Definition of fraudulent
Adjective
  • Some defendants face additional allegations involving false claims of citizenship or fraudulent statements that rest on separate federal statutes.
    — Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 6 Oct. 2026
  • Those numbers include 759 false identification cards confiscated, 378 alcohol-possession-by-a-minor violations and 98 fake-ID citations during the calendar-year reporting period, according to Oxford Police.
    — Kelsie Cairns, FOXNews.com, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of false
Adjective
  • There was money, manipulation, secret meetings with shady characters in China, fake identities, lies, trickery, and deceit.
    — Eamon Javers, CNBC, 30 Sep. 2026
  • Our favorite spots to lounge were the roof deck loungers and the padded bench seating beneath shady palm fronds in the atrium courtyard.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 29 Sep. 2026
Definition of shady
Adjective
  • Of course, there are also age-old hustles so evidently dishonest that there was a time when their exponents risked being hung or shot.
    — Kit Chellel, Fortune, 5 Oct. 2026
  • Like the president, Vance describes Democrats as dishonest, pandering, and often stupid.
    — David Weigel, semafor.com, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of dishonest
Adjective
  • For now, the crooked finger stays, and so does the jumper that comes with it.
    — Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 1 Oct. 2026
  • In 2025, romance scammers bilked ordinary men and women out of over a billion dollars using a variety of crooked tactics.
    — K. Thor Jensen, PC Magazine, 28 Sep. 2026
Definition of crooked

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Cite this Entry

“Deceptive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deceptive. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

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