as in to deceive
to cause to believe what is untrue
I think we've been hornswoggled by that carnival barker
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hornswoggle
Verb
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Swalwell apparently did an excellent job deceiving those around him, including some congressional and campaign staffers who’d known him for years and worked closely with the seven-term lawmaker, day in, day out.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
17 Apr. 2026 -
The Mets have a responsibility to protect their players by not throwing them under the bus, but there are ways to do that without trying to convince people that their eyes are deceiving them.—
Abbey Mastracco,
New York Daily News,
16 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Don’t let Sewanee, Tennessee’s, tiny size trick you into dismissing it.—
Jennifer Stewart Kornegay,
Southern Living,
9 Apr. 2026
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But in the end, the gang manages to trick Soldier Boy into going for an empty tube while Frenchie dons a gas mask and pours out the virus.—
Ben Rosenstock,
Vulture,
8 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The shark is a pleasing stand-in for a big bossy grownup, easily fooled.—
Elise Broach,
New Yorker,
20 Apr. 2026
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Don’t be fooled by Morejón’s unsightly ERA.—
Tom Krasovic,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
17 Apr. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Hornswoggle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hornswoggle. Accessed 21 Apr. 2026.
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