as in tempted
to lead away from a usual or proper course by offering some pleasure or advantage tacky souvenir shops to which first-time tourists had been decoyed into spending their hard-earned money
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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 decoyed Dowdle busted loose for a first down with 40 seconds to play after Young decoyed putting him in pass protection, and those 19 yards put the Panthers in position to kick a field goal after they’d won the coin flip and maneuvered to get the wind at the end. —
Luke Decock, Charlotte Observer, 2 Nov. 2025
Luke Decock, Charlotte Observer, 2 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for decoyed
Verb
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Blumhouse-Atomic Monster CMO Karen Barragan closed with a caution for anyone tempted to get ahead of themselves.— Kennedy French, Variety, 23 Apr. 2026
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Extra points for the chic white robes that you will be tempted to carry back home.— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Apr. 2026
Verb
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While some of the women who came here willingly embraced ISIS ideology and passed it on to their children, many others say they were trafficked or lured to the region through ignorance or under false pretenses.— Jane Arraf, NPR, 11 Apr. 2026
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The subsidies lured Reservation Dogs.— Winston Cho, HollywoodReporter, 9 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Inside, a fuzzy white possum, seduced by cat food, sits, befuddled.— Bill Kearney, Sun Sentinel, 19 Apr. 2026
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In an industry often seduced by scale and swagger, Claire offers something far more enduring.— Julie Lin, Condé Nast Traveler, 10 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Barnes persuaded Imam and his new wife, Alice, to join the project in Steubenville, and the couple bought a house there in 2019.— Emma Green, New Yorker, 17 Apr. 2026
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In fact, his ally House Speaker Mike Johnson persuaded him to take it down.— Voice of the People, New York Daily News, 17 Apr. 2026
Verb
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They are drawn in by the possibility of an exciting pull—similar to how a bettor might be enticed by a long-shot parlay translating to big winnings.— Dan Bernstein, Sportico.com, 22 Apr. 2026
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In addition to the immediate employment boost for tradespeople—including construction workers, electricians, and plumbers—local governments have been enticed by the impressive tax revenues on offer.— Tristan Bove, Fortune, 21 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Decoyed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.grautoblog.com/thesaurus/decoyed. Accessed 26 Apr. 2026.
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