hoodwinking 1 of 2

noun

as in fooling

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hoodwinking

2 of 2

verb

present participle of hoodwink
as in tricking
to cause to believe what is untrue Tom Sawyer famously hoodwinked the other boys into thinking there was nothing more enjoyable than whitewashing a fence

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 hoodwinking
Verb
Stadiums are notorious for their lack of multiplier impact, which is one reason these days why sports team owners, such as the McCaskey family that controls the Bears, have such a hard time hoodwinking governments into giving them direct subsidies to build their stadiums. — David Greising, Chicago Tribune, 24 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hoodwinking
  1. fooling
  2. tricking
  3. ruse
  4. deceiving
  5. subterfuge
  6. deception
  7. trickery
  8. stratagem
Noun
  • No fooling, April brings some pretty interesting surprises on Netflix.
    — K. Thor Jensen, PC Magazine, 27 Mar. 2026
Definition of fooling
Verb
  • RatHat relies heavily on tricking someone into installing a malicious Android app and approving powerful permissions.
    — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 2 Oct. 2026
  • Wardle found that a simple variation of ClickFix attack—a technique that has become remarkably effective in tricking people into infecting their devices—is all that’s required for an attacker to take control of a Muse account.
    — Dan Goodin, ArsTechnica, 21 Sep. 2026
Definition of tricking
Noun
  • What about when Carole was hiding in the closet to try to overhear Luann calling her a pedophile, and Jules Wainstein kept trying to ruin her ruse?
    — Brian Moylan, Vulture, 5 Oct. 2026
  • Last-ditch plan for prosecution Authorities next developed what Smallwood described as a last-ditch plan to prosecute Tanzer — a ruse that could catch him lying about the rape.
    — Tim Stelloh, NBC news, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of ruse
Verb
  • But 3-0 marks can be deceiving heading into a battle of unbeatens at home against Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs.
    — Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 4 Oct. 2026
  • Boulder County accused the fossil fuel companies of deceiving the general public about the dangers of their oil and gas operations and the associated greenhouse gas emissions through their advertising and marketing.
    — Callie Patteson, The Washington Examiner, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of deceiving
Noun
  • The series unpacks the subterfuge and secrecy required to record the interviews and how Diana and Colthurst were on high alert while making the recordings, Barefield explained.
    — Stewart Clarke, Deadline, 7 Oct. 2026
  • This subterfuge makes sense, since what these people reveal implicates their superiors.
    — Siddhant Adlakha, IndieWire, 10 Sep. 2026
Definition of subterfuge
Noun
  • Most often, this would be a network of fake accounts discovered by social media companies as part of their efforts to eliminate bots, scams, and online deception on their platforms.
    — RENÉE DIRESTA, Foreign Affairs, 5 Oct. 2026
  • In writing her for the series, Kazan realized Cathy, despite her deceptions, is almost always telling the truth.
    — Lexy Perez, HollywoodReporter, 4 Oct. 2026
Definition of deception
Noun
  • Thursday is The New York Times’s favorite day of the week to publish crosswords with twists, surprises or extra layers of trickery to puzzle over.
    — Sean McGowan, New York Times, 1 Oct. 2026
  • There was money, manipulation, secret meetings with shady characters in China, fake identities, lies, trickery, and deceit.
    — Eamon Javers, CNBC, 30 Sep. 2026
Definition of trickery
Noun
  • There’s a delightful secret history of Hollywood directors whose ruses and stratagems bought them an unusual amount of leeway with their scripts.
    — Richard Brody, New Yorker, 5 Aug. 2026
  • Through Elizabeth’s rise from servant to visionary who resisted Henry VIII’s break with the Roman Catholic Church to gain a divorce, Brown explores historical women’s stratagems for self-determination.
    — Monitor reviewers, Christian Science Monitor, 17 Apr. 2026
Definition of stratagem

Browse Nearby Words

hoodwinked
hoodwinking
hoodwinks
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Cite this Entry

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

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