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
Relevance
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
Fran Ruiz, Space.com, 19 Dec. 2025
Few things in life are more deceiving than a Week 1 game, especially those played in a rainstorm on the other side of an ocean.
—Stewart Mandel, New York Times, 27 Aug. 2025
Frank Scheck, HollywoodReporter, 26 Jan. 2026
Ah, but appearances can be deceiving.
—Jim Harrington, Mercury News, 26 Jan. 2026
Just heed my advice, and remember that looks can be deceiving.
—Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 19 Jan. 2026
Prosecutors said Alston played a key role in deceiving DCA.
—Cbs News Atlanta Digital Team, CBS News, 14 Jan. 2026
That level of eye-deceiving detail falters in wide shots, however, some of which suffer from unflattering flat lighting that in certain instances recall computer screensavers of yore, given their colorful artificiality.
—Carlos Aguilar, Variety, 30 Dec. 2025
Your eyes aren’t deceiving you, Boise.
—Alex Brizee, Idaho Statesman, 27 Dec. 2025
The Cartier Indian Tiara is deceiving!
—Janine Henni, PEOPLE, 7 Dec. 2025
Family ties may become strained for former South African President Jacob Zuma after his eldest daughter accused her half-sister of deceiving 17 men – half of whom are reportedly relatives – into fighting for Russia in Ukraine.
—Nimi Princewill, CNN Money, 5 Dec. 2025
Adjective
In our experience, these mid-sized sets can be very deceiving.
—Fran Ruiz, Space.com, 19 Dec. 2025
Few things in life are more deceiving than a Week 1 game, especially those played in a rainstorm on the other side of an ocean.
—Stewart Mandel, New York Times, 27 Aug. 2025
Verb
Although appearances can be deceiving.
—Frank Scheck, HollywoodReporter, 26 Jan. 2026
Ah, but appearances can be deceiving.
—Jim Harrington, Mercury News, 26 Jan. 2026
Just heed my advice, and remember that looks can be deceiving.
—Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 19 Jan. 2026
Prosecutors said Alston played a key role in deceiving DCA.
—Cbs News Atlanta Digital Team, CBS News, 14 Jan. 2026
That level of eye-deceiving detail falters in wide shots, however, some of which suffer from unflattering flat lighting that in certain instances recall computer screensavers of yore, given their colorful artificiality.
—Carlos Aguilar, Variety, 30 Dec. 2025
Your eyes aren’t deceiving you, Boise.
—Alex Brizee, Idaho Statesman, 27 Dec. 2025
The Cartier Indian Tiara is deceiving!
—Janine Henni, PEOPLE, 7 Dec. 2025
Family ties may become strained for former South African President Jacob Zuma after his eldest daughter accused her half-sister of deceiving 17 men – half of whom are reportedly relatives – into fighting for Russia in Ukraine.
—Nimi Princewill, CNN Money, 5 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for deceiving
Adjective
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Experts immediately pointed out that Hassett had used a misleading method known as a cubic fit to make the mortality data appear less frightening.—
Rogé Karma,
The Atlantic,
7 Jan. 2026
-
For its misleading omissions, the Times story deserves a flunking grade.—
Orlando Sentinel,
The Orlando Sentinel,
7 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Prompt injection is a method of tricking LLMs into doing things they are normally prevented from doing.—
Bruce Schneier,
IEEE Spectrum,
21 Jan. 2026
-
While cold can damage plants, weather that’s too warm too soon can also have a negative effect on bulbs by tricking them into sprouting early.—
Andrea Beck,
Better Homes & Gardens,
9 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Locked doors, bloody bits in trunks, deceptive lovers with ill intentions.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
28 Jan. 2026
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Even one of the more reputable internet weather personalities, Ryan Hall, whose YouTube channel staffs a team of meteorologists, and who has more than three million subscribers, often opts for flashy graphics and deceptive provocations to increase engagement.—
Brady Brickner-Wood,
New Yorker,
28 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The big question is whether Rodriguez is fooling Trump.—
Andres Oppenheimer,
Miami Herald,
22 Jan. 2026
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Dallas’ Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center has been fooling birds for years, reflecting the sky and delivering a hard stop.—
Dallas Morning News,
Dallas Morning News,
9 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Their most recent lawsuit alleges trademark infringement and counterfeiting, along with false designation of origin and seeks unspecified damages from the online sellers.—
Paul Flahive,
Austin American Statesman,
30 Jan. 2026
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His reflections on the controversies and critical snubbings that greeted movies that have since become consensus masterpieces are nuanced without descending into false modesty.—
Judy Berman,
Time,
30 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Deceiving.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deceiving. Accessed 1 Feb. 2026.
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