dekes

present tense third-person singular of deke
as in evades
to elude (an opponent in a sports contest) by making a deceptive or agile movement deked the lone defenseman with a deft move of his stick and went in for the breakaway

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of dekes At times, Acuña dekes fielders at second by slowing down and then bursting to third, stretching a double into a triple. Jesús Cano, New York Times, 1 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dekes
Verb
  • Neither of those interpretations would be entirely invalid, exactly, and yet The Basics of Philosophy — ironically enough, given its title — mostly evades any such moral didacticism.
    Richard Lawson, HollywoodReporter, 4 Sep. 2026
  • Journalists and negotiators follow up when someone evades the point.
    Harvard Business Review, Harvard Business Review, 2 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • Jackson then jukes a would-be tackler and makes it to the edge for a 22-yard gain.
    Caleb Yum, Austin American Statesman, 22 Nov. 2025
Verb
  • Baksheng leaves behind a family and then creates a new one with other Teochew emigrants at an inn run by a feminist daughter, Zia Lamgi (Li Sitong) who dodges a revolving door of suitors.
    Randy Myers, Mercury News, 3 Sep. 2026
  • West Orange dodges a huge bullet as Hoban’s John Johnson drops a wide open pass that would’ve been an 80 yard touchdown.
    Buddy Collings, The Orlando Sentinel, 20 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • Seminole fakes the extra point kick and Luis Ojeda-Robles runs the ball in for the two point conversion.
    Buddy Collings, The Orlando Sentinel, 18 Sep. 2026
  • The film follows an insecure MBA student who fakes a broken ankle and poses as a medical student to win over a free-spirited woman who lives for music and dancing, only to see his lies unravel as real feelings take hold.
    Matt Grobar, Deadline, 16 Sep. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Dekes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dekes. Accessed 21 Sep. 2026.

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