as in tricked
to cause to believe what is untrue
Tom Sawyer famously hoodwinked the other boys into thinking there was nothing more enjoyable than whitewashing a fence
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Recent Examples of hoodwinked
Reps for Young and Baez declined to comment, much like reps for Bob Dylan, Phil Collins, Bruce Springsteen, and others who have passed on making statements about AI imagery that’s hoodwinked whatever percentage of their fan bases.
—
David Browne, Rolling Stone, 21 Oct. 2025
Slow Horses is a twisty show, but the assumption that Roddy had been hoodwinked by a glamorous woman far out of his league seemed about as safe a bet as possible.
—Scott Tobias, Vulture, 1 Oct. 2025
However, for your sign, money and possessions are where you might be hoodwinked or not realize what’s going on.
—Georgia Nicols, Denver Post, 23 Sep. 2025
Approved by voters hoodwinked by false cost estimates, the project was supposed to be operable by 2020 at a cost of $33 billion.
—Editorial, Boston Herald, 31 Aug. 2025
Audiences bemused, delighted, hoodwinked theatrically, hoodwinked for real.
—Anne Carson, New Yorker, 21 Aug. 2025
Both lawsuits argue that the news outlets deliberately hoodwinked the public, in violation of state consumer protection laws.
—New York Times, The Mercury News, 9 Feb. 2025
Many individuals and companies don’t report after they’ve been hoodwinked.
—Frank Teruel, Forbes, 2 Oct. 2024
David Browne, Rolling Stone, 21 Oct. 2025
Slow Horses is a twisty show, but the assumption that Roddy had been hoodwinked by a glamorous woman far out of his league seemed about as safe a bet as possible.
—Scott Tobias, Vulture, 1 Oct. 2025
However, for your sign, money and possessions are where you might be hoodwinked or not realize what’s going on.
—Georgia Nicols, Denver Post, 23 Sep. 2025
Approved by voters hoodwinked by false cost estimates, the project was supposed to be operable by 2020 at a cost of $33 billion.
—Editorial, Boston Herald, 31 Aug. 2025
Audiences bemused, delighted, hoodwinked theatrically, hoodwinked for real.
—Anne Carson, New Yorker, 21 Aug. 2025
Both lawsuits argue that the news outlets deliberately hoodwinked the public, in violation of state consumer protection laws.
—New York Times, The Mercury News, 9 Feb. 2025
Many individuals and companies don’t report after they’ve been hoodwinked.
—Frank Teruel, Forbes, 2 Oct. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hoodwinked
Verb
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And nobody likes to be tricked.—
Cynthia Littleton,
Variety,
6 Nov. 2025
-
What a treat to be tricked thusly.—
Bethy Squires,
Vulture,
31 Oct. 2025
Verb
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In fact, the term itself was an epithet throughout the founding era, a way to describe ignorant and easily deceived popular majorities, perpetually vulnerable to demagogues.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
28 Oct. 2025
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Of course someone like Denji would fall for it, and in a way, the desire to be deceived is actually an important aspect of romantic feelings.—
Billboard Japan,
Billboard,
27 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
The officials were fooled, ruling it incomplete.—
The Athletic College Football Staff,
New York Times,
9 Nov. 2025
-
The lead was brief as Andrei Svechnikov fooled Gustavsson with a low shot on the next shift.—
Jess Myers,
Twin Cities,
7 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Hoodwinked.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hoodwinked. Accessed 15 Nov. 2025.
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