Synonyms of deceive

deceive 1 of 3

verb (1)

di-ˈsēv 

as in to fool

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

• fool
• trick
• mislead
• delude
• tease
• misinform
• misguide
• beguile
• hoodwink
• dupe
• bamboozle
• kid
• cheat
• sucker
• bluff
• hoax
• suck in
• sting
• cozen
• catch
• humbug
• hornswoggle
• con
• gull
• juggle
• burn
• spoof
• take in
• have
• have on
• snooker
• snow
• gaff
• buffalo
• fake out
• gammon
• string along
• defraud
• pull one's leg
• do a number on
• lead one down the garden path
• pull the wool over one's eyes
• swindle
• shortchange
• stick
• put on
• bleed
• fleece
• mulct
• flimflam
• diddle
• skin
• hustle
• chisel
• squeeze
• rook
• euchre

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• undeceive
• reveal
• expose
• uncover
• show up
• unmask
• disclose
• tell
• debunk
• divulge
• unveil
• disabuse
• uncloak
• disillusion
• disenchant

deceiving

2 of 3

adjective

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

• misleading
• deceptive
• false
• incorrect
• deceitful
• specious
• beguiling
• fallacious
• delusive
• ambiguous
• deluding
• inaccurate
• fraudulent
• crooked
• delusory
• subtle
• lying
• trick
• cunning
• treacherous
• dishonest
• distracting
• slick
• shifty
• wrong
• wily
• perplexing
• sneaky
• tricky
• puzzling
• crafty
• confounding
• counterfeit
• duplicitous
• untrustworthy
• underhanded
• forged
• subtile
• artful
• shady
• artificial
• devious
• sly
• fake
• foxy
• mendacious
• untruthful
• faithless
• underhand
• insidious
• defrauding
• bewildering
• perfidious
• dissembling
• guileful
• trickish
• evasive
• feigned
• hypocritical
• bogus
• sneaking
• sham
• phony
• insincere
• spurious
• knavish
• ambidextrous
• jive
• fast
• double-dealing
• equivocal
• backhanded
• circuitous
• two-faced
• left-handed

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• straightforward
• plain
• open
• direct
• forthright
• straight
• aboveboard
• frank
• illuminating
• candid
• nondeceptive
• outspoken
• revealing
• explanatory
• clarifying
• plainspoken
• truthful
• revelatory
• honest
• openhearted
• trustworthy
• free-spoken
• foursquare
• elucidative

deceiving

3 of 3

verb (2)

present participle of deceive

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

• tricking
• fooling
• misleading
• teasing
• misguiding
• deluding
• misinforming
• kidding
• duping
• conning
• suckering
• hoodwinking
• gulling
• bamboozling
• cheating
• hoaxing
• bluffing
• beguiling
• cozening
• catching
• juggling
• stinging
• snookering
• spoofing
• humbugging
• snowing
• sucking in
• having
• burning
• gaffing
• taking in
• stringing along
• gammoning
• faking out
• having on
• buffaloing
• hornswoggling
• defrauding
• pulling one's leg
• doing a number on
• swindling
• leading one down the garden path
• pulling the wool over one's eyes
• sticking
• fleecing
• shortchanging
• bleeding
• putting on
• mulcting
• rooking
• hustling
• chiseling
• squeezing
• diddling
• flimflamming
• euchring
• skinning

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• revealing
• exposing
• uncovering
• disclosing
• undeceiving
• unmasking
• telling
• debunking
• divulging
• showing up
• unveiling
• disillusioning
• disabusing
• uncloaking
• disenchanting

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb deceive differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of deceive are beguile, delude, and mislead. While all these words mean "to lead astray or frustrate usually by underhandedness," deceive implies imposing a false idea or belief that causes ignorance, bewilderment, or helplessness.

tried to deceive me about the cost

In what contexts can beguile take the place of deceive?

Although the words beguile and deceive have much in common, beguile stresses the use of charm and persuasion in deceiving.

was beguiled by false promises

When is delude a more appropriate choice than deceive?

While the synonyms delude and deceive are close in meaning, delude implies deceiving so thoroughly as to obscure the truth.

we were deluded into thinking we were safe

When is it sensible to use mislead instead of deceive?

The words mislead and deceive can be used in similar contexts, but mislead implies a leading astray that may or may not be intentional.

I was misled by the confusing sign

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of deceive

Verb

The complaint also claims that the image deceives customers into thinking Lipa has endorsed the product and dilutes her brand identity. —Mary Cunningham, CBS News, 11 May 2026

Berger also warned against attempts by Israelis to deceive foreign agents, stressing that any contact is a serious offense. —Amelie Botbol, FOXNews.com, 8 May 2026

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

Journalists must avoid deception, but the primary instance when it may be excused is in deceiving certain sources during undercover investigations on an issue of public importance. —Encyclopedia Britannica, 7 May 2026

Her The Wife nods and supports, all knowingly without deceiving the emotional truths of the narrative. —Chris Feil, Vulture, 1 May 2026