as in tempting
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 decoying
What these guys really care about is decoying ducks in and seeing the show.
—
Alex Robinson, Outdoor Life, 9 Oct. 2025
Alex Robinson, Outdoor Life, 9 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for decoying
Verb
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But if the promise of these sights wasn’t tempting enough, Airbnb has a number of jaw-dropping listings that allow travelers to enjoy the country with a more immersive experience—like the opulent Villa Il Cigno, located directly on the shores of Lake Como.—
Merrell Readman,
Travel + Leisure,
11 Apr. 2026
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Too rich for my blood, but tempting nonetheless.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
24 Mar. 2026
Verb
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While Kerbal incorporates a lot of advanced concepts that real-world astronauts actually grapple with, it's also delivered in a goofy, approachable shell (the eponymous Kerbals are closer to Minions than real people) that's been key to luring in newcomers.—
Alan Bradley,
Space.com,
9 Apr. 2026
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Her model for all this, incredibly, is the Biblical heroine Jael, famous for luring the Canaanite commander Sisera to her tent, plying him with milk curds, and driving a tent peg through his temple.—
Emma Green,
New Yorker,
6 Apr. 2026
Verb
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On the left, he’s heralded as the only voice capable of seducing young men disaffected by party politics.—
Abigail Sylvor Greenberg,
Vanity Fair,
20 Mar. 2026
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One of her alternate personalities — the cold and calculating Samantha — joins law enforcement to pursue her father’s killers, while other identities begin to surface with their own motives, seducing and manipulating powerful men as Sylvia’s search for justice veers into vengeance.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
18 Mar. 2026
Verb
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There is no option C because the only NFL team that hasn’t already made other plans for its starting quarterback job is the Arizona Cardinals and joining a rebuilding program wouldn't be enticing to Rodgers.—
Armando Salguero OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
20 Apr. 2026
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There’s something endlessly enticing about Italy.—
Joseph Erbentraut,
Better Homes & Gardens,
20 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Flock has become increasingly controversial, with communities across the country persuading their local governments to cancel their contracts, though the number is still dwarfed by how many cities renew their agreements with Flock every year.—
Kevin Collier,
NBC news,
15 Apr. 2026
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Often, threats of family separation work hand in hand with medical neglect, Juburi told me, persuading families to accept deportation.—
Sarah Stillman,
New Yorker,
13 Apr. 2026
Verb
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One of the most well-known is Kitboga, a YouTube personality, scammer-baiting streamer, and the founder of an anti-scam software company.—
Kim Key,
PC Magazine,
3 Apr. 2026
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The replies are mostly AI bots, or rage-baiting stan accounts.—
Larisha Paul,
Rolling Stone,
15 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Decoying.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/decoying. Accessed 22 Apr. 2026.
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