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
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
There is a relaxing vibe about Hilton Head, and a lot of wedges in the hands of the best players, both of which can be deceptive. —
ABC News, 15 Apr. 2026 Barrera played Michelle, a deceptive character who will keep everyone guessing. —Denise Petski, Deadline, 15 Apr. 2026 Anything else amounts to a deceptive user experience that can discourage users from visiting unfamiliar pages in the future. —ArsTechnica, 14 Apr. 2026 No shot at Augusta is more terrifying that the par-3 12th with the deceptive, swirling wind. —CBS News, 13 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for deceptive
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.
ABC News, 15 Apr. 2026 Barrera played Michelle, a deceptive character who will keep everyone guessing. —Denise Petski, Deadline, 15 Apr. 2026 Anything else amounts to a deceptive user experience that can discourage users from visiting unfamiliar pages in the future. —ArsTechnica, 14 Apr. 2026 No shot at Augusta is more terrifying that the par-3 12th with the deceptive, swirling wind. —CBS News, 13 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for deceptive
Cite this Entry
“Deceptive.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.grautoblog.com/dictionary/deceptive. Accessed 26 Apr. 2026.
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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