as in tempted
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
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Recent Examples of decoyed
Dowdle busted loose for a first down with 40 seconds to play after Young decoyed putting him in pass protection, and those 19 yards put the Panthers in position to kick a field goal after they’d won the coin flip and maneuvered to get the wind at the end.
—
Luke Decock, Charlotte Observer, 2 Nov. 2025
Luke Decock, Charlotte Observer, 2 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for decoyed
Verb
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While you may be tempted to blame other animals such as opossums or snakes, or even coyotes for making holes or burrows in your yard, these creatures are more likely to use existing animal holes for their dens.—
Arricca Elin SanSone,
Southern Living,
6 May 2026
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But a remarkable number of Americans are tempted by that departure terminal barstool as well, regardless of what the clocks say.—
Tristan Bove,
Fortune,
6 May 2026
Verb
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Cox’s death came four days after that of fellow Atlanta icon Ted Turner, who as owner of Braves lured Cox back to the team in 1990.—
Charles Odum,
Chicago Tribune,
9 May 2026
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The prosecution argued that Bryant had encountered Morales before and likely followed her from the Sterling Glen Apartments, then either lured her with his badge or forced her into his truck before killing her and leaving her body in the woods.—
Mason Leath,
ABC News,
8 May 2026
Verb
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The sister of King Charles III is rarely seduced by trends, fashions, or labels.—
Laura Scafati,
Vanity Fair,
9 May 2026
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Onscreen, Andy was being seduced by a heavily jawed man with blond hair.—
Anna Wiener,
New Yorker,
4 May 2026
Verb
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Historically, Angelenos didn’t need to be persuaded to ride the train.—
Oren Peleg,
New Yorker,
9 May 2026
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But the price was worth it for Bischofberger, who persuaded Warhol to give him right of first refusal for his art, a stipulation that the artist upheld until his death in 1987.—
Alex Greenberger,
ARTnews.com,
9 May 2026
Verb
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That allegedly enticed consumers to spend more to purchase the new devices.—
Queenie Wong,
Los Angeles Times,
6 May 2026
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This plan includes guest worker programs, clear pathways for immigrants and their families who are here seeking to make a better life for their families and who were enticed to come here by the prior federal administration.—
Kaitlyn Schallhorn,
Oc Register,
4 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Decoyed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/decoyed. Accessed 12 May. 2026.
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