as in bait
something used to attract animals to a hook or into a trap
we set the decoy afloat in the marsh and from the blind waited for the ducks to arrive
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in to lure
to lead away from a usual or proper course by offering some pleasure or advantage
tacky souvenir shops to which first-time tourists had been decoyed into spending their hard-earned money
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of decoy
Christopher McFadden,
Interesting Engineering,
13 June 2026
When used correctly, these decoys can scare away pesky birds who are trying to roost on your porch.
—
Kait Hanson,
Southern Living,
13 June 2026
Alex Robinson,
Outdoor Life,
9 Oct. 2025
Osit looks for answers in multiple places, interviewing law enforcement officials and district attorneys, academics, and former Perverted Justice decoys from the show.
—
Jason Newman,
Rolling Stone,
20 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for decoy
Noun
Once in flight, the plan would rely on the missiles cooperating by sharing target data, sorting real ships from decoys, assigning themselves to different targets, and attacking from different angles.
—
Christopher McFadden,
Interesting Engineering,
13 June 2026
When used correctly, these decoys can scare away pesky birds who are trying to roost on your porch.
—
Kait Hanson,
Southern Living,
13 June 2026
Verb
What these guys really care about is decoying ducks in and seeing the show.
—
Alex Robinson,
Outdoor Life,
9 Oct. 2025
Osit looks for answers in multiple places, interviewing law enforcement officials and district attorneys, academics, and former Perverted Justice decoys from the show.
—
Jason Newman,
Rolling Stone,
20 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for decoy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for decoy
Noun
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Former Mayor Sue Lynch had hopes of turning the former school into a community center, but no private partners took the bait after a study for the project was dangled before potential stakeholders.
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The Golden Globes, at the bare minimum, could likely take the bait on a performance like his.
Verb
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Police say the violence on Sydney’s streets is being orchestrated from abroad – and teenagers are being lured into the complex web of gang warfare with the promise of fast cash.
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According to an overseas report by BasketNews, Denver’s backup center is prepared to sign a contract with the Lithuanian Euro League team Zalgiris Kaunas — an unsurprising development after Panathinaikos tried to lure him away from the NBA after the Nuggets traded for him last summer.
Verb
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Known as Vision 2030, profits from gas and oil have been pumped into the development of a leisure infrastructure to tempt tourists and boost the level of business to local companies.
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Although some folks advise using a shortcut, don’t be tempted to use your oven.
Verb
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The writer thinks that the person seducing the main character is just some flotsam, hardly worth a second look.
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Blyth was nominated in the supporting role as Mildred's spoiled daughter, Veda, who seduces her mother's second husband (Zachary Scott), then riddles him with bullets in a jealous rage.
Verb
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Obviously, Donnie being over there was enticing to me.
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For American diners of diverse backgrounds, chop suey struck an enticing balance between novelty and decipherability, which propelled it to national popularity even as the US government moved to exclude Chinese laborers from entering the country in 1882.
Verb
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But by that point, the banks were so overwhelmed that they could, at least in theory, be persuaded to settle for far less than they were owed.
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Contributors know Percy’s films often become the defining accounts of major events, which helps persuade them to take part.
Cite this Entry
“Decoy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/decoy. Accessed 29 Jun. 2026.
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