Synonyms of mislead

mislead

verb

ˌmis-ˈlēd 

as in to deceive

to cause to believe what is untrue

the coral snake's attractive colors can mislead you into thinking that it is harmless

Synonyms & Similar Words

• deceive
• fool
• trick
• misinform
• delude
• misguide
• tease
• hoodwink
• dupe
• beguile
• bamboozle
• kid
• cheat
• hoax
• suck in
• sucker
• bluff
• humbug
• con
• sting
• cozen
• juggle
• spoof
• gull
• buffalo
• catch
• have on
• string along
• have
• gaff
• take in
• burn
• snow
• hornswoggle
• gammon
• fake out
• do a number on
• snooker
• lead one up the garden path
• lead one down the garden path
• defraud
• pull one's leg
• shortchange
• pull the wool over one's eyes
• swindle
• put on
• stick
• bleed
• mulct
• diddle
• hustle
• fleece
• flimflam
• skin
• squeeze
• euchre
• rook
• chisel

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• undeceive
• reveal
• expose
• tell
• uncover
• disclose
• unmask
• debunk
• show up
• divulge
• unveil
• disabuse
• disillusion
• uncloak
• disenchant

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb mislead differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of mislead are beguile, deceive, and delude. While all these words mean "to lead astray or frustrate usually by underhandedness," mislead implies a leading astray that may or may not be intentional.

I was misled by the confusing sign

When might beguile be a better fit than mislead?

In some situations, the words beguile and mislead are roughly equivalent. However, beguile stresses the use of charm and persuasion in deceiving.

was beguiled by false promises

When could deceive be used to replace mislead?

While in some cases nearly identical to mislead, deceive implies imposing a false idea or belief that causes ignorance, bewilderment, or helplessness.

tried to deceive me about the cost

In what contexts can delude take the place of mislead?

While the synonyms delude and mislead are close in meaning, delude implies deceiving so thoroughly as to obscure the truth.

we were deluded into thinking we were safe

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of mislead

The move comes as Kennedy has faced criticism during this year's record measles outbreaks for remarks misleading people into thinking that measles infections are easily curable and inflating myths about measles vaccines. —Nicole Brown Chau, CBS News, 1 May 2025

This index shows how focusing on GDP alone can mislead the public about a country’s economic performance. —Sophie Mitra, The Conversation, 1 May 2025

Trump cycled through four national security advisers in his first four years—including Michael Flynn, who was fired within a month of the 2017 inauguration after misleading Vice President Mike Pence about contacts with the Russian ambassador. —Nik Popli, Time, 1 May 2025

Ratings Agencies: Burned Once, Cautious Now After the 2011 downgrade, S&P faced immense backlash, including a Justice Department lawsuit accusing them of misleading investors before the 2008 financial crisis. —Trefis Team, Forbes.com, 29 Apr. 2025