deceptive

de·cep·tive | \ di-ˈsep-tiv

How to pronounce deceptive (audio)

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Definition of deceptive

: 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

Other Words from deceptive Synonyms & Antonyms More Example Sentences Learn More about deceptive

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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 Its shape pays big dividends in convenience, and its size is deceptive. — cleveland, "2020 Chevrolet Bolt boasts greater range and great value (review)," 27 June 2020 In that case, Massachusetts AG Maura Healy argues that the company engaged in deceptive advertising and defrauded consumers. — Tim Mcdonnell, Quartz, "In new lawsuits against Big Oil, prosecutors borrow from the fight against Big Tobacco," 25 June 2020 Sheriff Elliott said Wednesday that Bommeli was deceptive to investigators about the circumstances of Talina leaving home. — NBC News, "Wagoner County Sheriff's Office names person of interest in disappearance of Oklahoma woman Talina Galloway who was reported missing after a Facebook post stated that she believed she had coronavirus," 24 June 2020 The state also seeks injunctions preventing MES from destroying books and records, making any unauthorized withdrawals from consumers’ bank accounts and engaging in deceptive advertising, among other activities. — Patrick Danner, ExpressNews.com, "Texas attorney general targets San Antonio student loan forgiveness company," 17 June 2020 Some reviews go as far as to accuse Clorox of deceptive advertising for not clearly labeling its splashless solution as one that does not disinfect. — Joshua Gargiulo, USA TODAY, "Fact check: Does Clorox Splash-Less bleach disinfect?," 11 June 2020 Dirty John began as a series of articles, then a podcast, then eventually became a TV series about a deceptive, abusive con man. — Jean Bentley, refinery29.com, "Why Dirty John Creator Alexandra Cunningham Wanted To Tell Betty Broderick’s Story," 9 June 2020 The draft order would also convene, through the Justice Department, a working group of state attorneys general to look into deceptive practices and review executive ad spending on the platforms. — Eric Newcomer, Bloomberg.com, "Trump Aims Order at Social Media Giants Amid Fury Over Twitter," 31 May 2020 On Wednesday alone, the agency shared two different press releases about deceptive claims settlements. — Timothy B. Lee And Kate Cox, Ars Technica, "Trump is desperate to punish Big Tech but has no good way to do it," 29 May 2020

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'deceptive.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Dictionary Entries near deceptive

decephalization

deceptive cadence

Statistics for deceptive

Last Updated

1 Jul 2020

Cite this Entry

“Deceptive.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/deceptive. Accessed 2 Jul. 2020.

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More Definitions for deceptive

deceptive

adjective

English Language Learners Definition of deceptive

: intended to make someone believe something that is not true

: likely to make someone believe something that is not true

See the full definition for deceptive in the English Language Learners Dictionary

deceptive

de·cep·tive | \ di-ˈsep-tiv

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Kids Definition of deceptive

: tending or able to deceive deceptive advertisements

deceptive

de·cep·tive | \ di-ˈsep-tiv

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Legal Definition of deceptive

: tending or having capacity to deceive deceptive trade practices — compare fraudulent, misleading

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