as in misleading
tending or having power to deceive
the deceiving nature of most flat maps of the globe causes some people to believe erroneously that Greenland is actually bigger than South America
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in tricking
to cause to believe what is untrue
he went to great lengths to deceive his family about the nature of his new job at the mall
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of deceiving
Raja Krishnamoorthi, MSNBC Newsweek, 9 Apr. 2025
Augusta National will quickly expose even the most microscopic weakness in one’s game with its winding fairways and deceiving putting surfaces.
—Gabby Herzig, New York Times, 8 Apr. 2025
Appearances, though, can be deceiving.
—Bob Harkins, New York Times, 8 Apr. 2025
Seattle’s 1-2-3 record, then, is deceiving.
—Tom Krasovic, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 Apr. 2025
But those numbers are deceiving, given his form over the last six weeks of the season.
—Mark Zeigler, San Diego Union-Tribune, 24 Mar. 2025
Any clinic that is promising instant, full growth in a few weeks is deceiving you.
—Rowan Briggs, The Mercury News, 19 Mar. 2025
The 21-year-old actress appeared on the March 11 broadcast of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon and opened up about deceiving a nosey photographer before her wedding to Jake Bongiovi.
—Raven Brunner, People.com, 13 Mar. 2025
The justices acted on an unusual Republican effort to file suit in the Supreme Court over the Democratic states' use of their own state courts to sue fossil fuel companies for deceiving the public about the risks of their products contributing to climate change.
—arkansasonline.com, 11 Mar. 2025
Verb
The show, hosted by actor Alan Cumming and set in a remote Scottish castle, features reality TV veterans and celebrities working together—and often deceiving each other—in challenges for a cash prize.
—Raja Krishnamoorthi, MSNBC Newsweek, 9 Apr. 2025
Augusta National will quickly expose even the most microscopic weakness in one’s game with its winding fairways and deceiving putting surfaces.
—Gabby Herzig, New York Times, 8 Apr. 2025
Appearances, though, can be deceiving.
—Bob Harkins, New York Times, 8 Apr. 2025
Seattle’s 1-2-3 record, then, is deceiving.
—Tom Krasovic, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 Apr. 2025
But those numbers are deceiving, given his form over the last six weeks of the season.
—Mark Zeigler, San Diego Union-Tribune, 24 Mar. 2025
Any clinic that is promising instant, full growth in a few weeks is deceiving you.
—Rowan Briggs, The Mercury News, 19 Mar. 2025
The 21-year-old actress appeared on the March 11 broadcast of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon and opened up about deceiving a nosey photographer before her wedding to Jake Bongiovi.
—Raven Brunner, People.com, 13 Mar. 2025
The justices acted on an unusual Republican effort to file suit in the Supreme Court over the Democratic states' use of their own state courts to sue fossil fuel companies for deceiving the public about the risks of their products contributing to climate change.
—arkansasonline.com, 11 Mar. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for deceiving
Adjective
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Amazon has prevailed in a class-action lawsuit that accused it of engaging in deceptive trade practices.—
Will McCurdy,
PC Magazine,
19 July 2025
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Attorney General Phil Weiser’s office sent CBZ and its constituent companies several subpoenas in September as investigators probed the chronically unsafe conditions of the companies’ properties, as well as allegations from tenants that CBZ had engaged in insurance fraud and deceptive practices.—
Seth Klamann,
Denver Post,
16 July 2025
Verb
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James cuts back inside onto his right foot, fooling the defender, rather than going to the byline off his left foot.—
Beren Cross,
New York Times,
8 Apr. 2025
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Each plays a role in fooling their foe, who captures the turtle, while the deer, heeding the turtle’s good counsel, manages a sly escape.—
John Nemec,
The Conversation,
7 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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He’s hosted several world leaders for explosive Oval Office sit downs, including South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, who Trump argued with over false claims that white farmers in the country were victims of a genocide, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in February.—
Sara Dorn,
Forbes.com,
16 July 2025
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Mayumi pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor count of false reporting to authorities, while Richard did the same for a felony count of trying to influence a public servant, according to NPR.—
Jessica Sager,
People.com,
15 July 2025
Verb
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Legal And Compliance Risks Defamatory content, misinformation or misleading claims can lead to legal challenges, including defamation lawsuits and regulatory scrutiny.—
Scott Keever,
Forbes.com,
8 Apr. 2025
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Avoiding misleading statements to the news media which can worsen a crisis and expand its longevity.—
Rick Pozniak,
Boston Herald,
1 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Deceiving.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deceiving. Accessed 30 Jul. 2025.
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