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
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
There were actually 22 feature-film trophies up for grabs at the 1951 ceremony, but that number is a bit deceptive.
—
Nate Jones, Vulture, 31 Jan. 2026
Skinner’s ability to score goals remains his most attractive attribute, however, thanks to a deceptive release and ability to find pockets to get off his shot.
—Harman Dayal, New York Times, 30 Jan. 2026
Some election law experts called it deceptive, trading on concerns about the Texas Senate race to benefit Cruz, who is not on the 2026 ballot but has been mentioned as a presidential contender in two years.
—Joseph Morton, Dallas Morning News, 30 Jan. 2026
Locked doors, bloody bits in trunks, deceptive lovers with ill intentions.
—Literary Hub, 28 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for deceptive
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Nate Jones, Vulture, 31 Jan. 2026
Skinner’s ability to score goals remains his most attractive attribute, however, thanks to a deceptive release and ability to find pockets to get off his shot.
—Harman Dayal, New York Times, 30 Jan. 2026
Some election law experts called it deceptive, trading on concerns about the Texas Senate race to benefit Cruz, who is not on the 2026 ballot but has been mentioned as a presidential contender in two years.
—Joseph Morton, Dallas Morning News, 30 Jan. 2026
Locked doors, bloody bits in trunks, deceptive lovers with ill intentions.
—Literary Hub, 28 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for deceptive
Cite this Entry
“Deceptive.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/deceptive. Accessed 4 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationKids 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
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