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

Synonyms of deceptive

• misleading
• false

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

At the same time, the board charged Chaudhry with professional incompetence and knowingly making misleading, deceptive, untrue, or fraudulent representations in the practice of medicine. —Clark Kauffman, Iowa Capital Dispatch, 13 Mar. 2026

In the short term, the company focuses on immediate relief from rising annual maintenance fees, open loans, and the financial fallout from deceptive sales practices. —Malana Vantyler, USA Today, 9 Mar. 2026

Tenet had sued Leapfrog last year over poor grades given to its Palm Beach Network hospitals, calling the grading process unfair and deceptive. —Cindy Krischer Goodman, Sun Sentinel, 9 Mar. 2026

This is also a place where appearances can be deceptive, so don’t write off a listing just because the house seems unremarkable in online photos. —Zoey Goto, Vogue, 9 Mar. 2026

Word History

Etymology

see deception

First Known Use

circa 1611, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing deceptive

• looks can be deceiving/deceptive

Rhymes for deceptive

• perceptive
• receptive
• contraceptive
• nociceptive
• proprioceptive

Kids 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