deceptive

adjective

de·cep·tive | \ di-ˈsep-tiv

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

Keep scrolling for more

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 Social media could be especially deceptive in its earliest days, when the novel websites seemed to present an even playing field for all to log on to and wreak havoc. — Washington Post, 17 June 2021 Its decision to downplay the danger of Covid-19 and back Trump’s deceptive claims about the presidential election. — Alex Shephard, The New Republic, 9 June 2021 In the top of the third, Ryan Smith came in and erased a walk using a deceptive pick off move to extinguish the mild threat and keep the Mavericks off the scoreboard. — Ryan Morse, baltimoresun.com/maryland/carroll, 4 June 2021 The cleverly deceptive illusion uses a black-and-white photographic collage to create the appearance of a large ravine. — Isis Davis-marks, Smithsonian Magazine, 4 June 2021 Uses hesitations and deceptive moves to generate space. — Tim Bielik, cleveland, 3 June 2021 The bill does not, however, include punishments for officers who lie during interrogations or address officers who use deceptive tactics outside interrogation rooms. — N'dea Yancey-bragg, USA TODAY, 2 June 2021 An odd claim of cancel culture and a firm denial about the presence of betamethasone that melted into a clumsy if not deceptive reversal related to a topical ointment created more sideways glances. — Bryce Miller Columnist, San Diego Union-Tribune, 2 June 2021 Illinois would become the first state to bar police from using deceptive tactics when interrogating young people under legislation that passed the General Assembly with near-unanimous support from Republicans and Democrats on Sunday. — Michael Levenson, Star Tribune, 1 June 2021

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.