Synonyms of misleading

misleading 1 of 2

adjective

as in deceptive

tending or having power to deceive

the misleading text of the advertisement would like you to believe that you're getting something for nothing

Synonyms & Similar Words

• deceptive
• false
• incorrect
• ambiguous
• deceiving
• deceitful
• inaccurate
• specious
• fallacious
• delusive
• beguiling
• fraudulent
• delusory
• deluding
• subtle
• crooked
• dishonest
• puzzling
• perplexing
• wrong
• trick
• cunning
• lying
• tricky
• confounding
• untruthful
• distracting
• slick
• sneaky
• mendacious
• treacherous
• wily
• untrustworthy
• shifty
• artful
• underhanded
• duplicitous
• shady
• artificial
• counterfeit
• crafty
• sly
• bewildering
• foxy
• subtile
• fake
• devious
• bogus
• spurious
• forged
• insidious
• underhand
• evasive
• faithless
• trickish
• hypocritical
• perfidious
• guileful
• equivocal
• insincere
• phony
• sham
• feigned
• dissembling
• ambidextrous
• defrauding
• knavish
• jive
• circuitous
• sneaking
• fast
• backhanded
• double-dealing
• two-faced
• left-handed

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• straightforward
• forthright
• direct
• plain
• frank
• open
• candid
• straight
• outspoken
• nondeceptive
• illuminating
• explanatory
• aboveboard
• revealing
• clarifying
• truthful
• revelatory
• plainspoken
• honest
• openhearted
• trustworthy
• free-spoken
• elucidative
• foursquare

misleading

2 of 2

verb

present participle of mislead

as in deceiving

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

• deceiving
• tricking
• fooling
• misguiding
• misinforming
• kidding
• teasing
• deluding
• duping
• bamboozling
• beguiling
• suckering
• gulling
• hoaxing
• hoodwinking
• cheating
• humbugging
• bluffing
• stinging
• sucking in
• conning
• juggling
• spoofing
• cozening
• stringing along
• snookering
• taking in
• gaffing
• snowing
• faking out
• catching
• gammoning
• burning
• having on
• having
• hornswoggling
• buffaloing
• doing a number on
• pulling one's leg
• leading one down the garden path
• pulling the wool over one's eyes
• defrauding
• shortchanging
• swindling
• flimflamming
• sticking
• putting on
• fleecing
• bleeding
• mulcting
• hustling
• rooking
• diddling
• chiseling
• squeezing
• euchring
• skinning

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• revealing
• exposing
• debunking
• uncovering
• disclosing
• telling
• unmasking
• showing up
• undeceiving
• divulging
• disillusioning
• unveiling
• disabusing
• uncloaking
• disenchanting

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of misleading

Adjective

Kara and Daniel Phillip, Lockport residents of 15 years, expressed similar safety concerns and beliefs that McGrew’s presentation, claiming property values would not decrease, to be misleading. — Olivia Stevens, Chicago Tribune, 9 July 2026

These differences make simple score comparisons between students receiving vouchers and those who remain in the public school systems misleading. — Kendall Deas, The Conversation, 6 July 2026

Democrats on the House Natural Resources Committee released a report this week criticizing the president and Freedom 250, accusing it of diverting funds and misleading sponsors. — Luke Fountain, CNBC, 3 July 2026

The charge alleges a person knowingly defrauded another by using false or misleading information to obtain money, property, credit or a loan. — Darrell Smith, Sacbee.com, 2 July 2026

Opponents of Amendment 5 have flatly called the advertisement misleading or false. — Kacen Bayless, Kansas City Star, 1 July 2026

When looking at Ferrari’s weekend, Saturday’s qualifying painted a somewhat misleading picture. — Madeline Coleman, New York Times, 1 July 2026

But anti-hunger advocates say that description is misleading, and could threaten food assistance for millions of low-income families. — Aimee Picchi, CBS News, 29 June 2026

Second, the implication that plastic surgeons are performing gender-affirming surgery on children, as the title of the position statement suggests, is misleading. — Kavitha Ranganathan, STAT, 29 June 2026

Verb

Without accountability, bad actors can gain an advantage through misleading claims or by ignoring standards that responsible companies follow. — Eric Reicin, Forbes.com, 10 July 2026

In a generation that promotes body positivity, Brandy Melville flies under the radar with its eye-catching branding and misleading sizes. — Sienna Feliciano, Mercury News, 9 July 2026

The new complaint accused Bojangles of failing to adequately secure employee data, misleading workers about how safe its systems were and improperly benefiting by skimping on cybersecurity. — Chase Jordan july 7, Charlotte Observer, 7 July 2026

In April Hood County Commissioner Nannette Samuelson accused Coffman and other officials of misleading the public about plans for a power plant and data center, according to previous Star-telegram reporting. — Mary Ella Hastings july 7, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 7 July 2026

The evidence-free governance theorists dangerously ignore the value of wisdom from actual experience beyond misleading abstract mathematical equations which neglect the genuine impact of leaders. — Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, Fortune, 6 July 2026

Doctors, however, say rhetoric about seed oil risks may be misleading the public about healthy eating. — Mary Kekatos, ABC News, 3 July 2026

The report accuses the group of funding its programming through opaque and questionable avenues, including soliciting foreign funds, misleading donors and selling access to the president. — Rachel Treisman, NPR, 2 July 2026

Even though a closer look at their methodology and outcomes shows how inaccurate and misleading this research proved to be. — Ian Miller Outkick, FOXNews.com, 1 July 2026