Synonyms of mislead

mislead 1 of 3

verb (1)

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
• hornswoggle
• sting
• cozen
• juggle
• spoof
• gull
• buffalo
• catch
• have on
• fake out
• string along
• have
• gaff
• take in
• burn
• snooker
• snow
• gammon
• do a number on
• lead one down the garden path
• defraud
• pull one's leg
• shortchange
• pull the wool over one's eyes
• swindle
• put on
• stick
• flimflam
• bleed
• mulct
• diddle
• fleece
• hustle
• skin
• euchre
• squeeze
• rook
• chisel

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

misleading

2 of 3

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

3 of 3

verb (2)

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

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

Verb

Critics say Neugebauer is at best a bad manager and accuse him of misleading investors. —Chris Tomlinson, Houston Chronicle, 30 Apr. 2026

Despite strict labelling requirements and closer legal cooperation, misleading use of the GOTS certification claims persisted in 2025. —Angela Velasquez, Footwear News, 29 Apr. 2026

Adjective

But for employers, that shorthand is misleading. —Fennemore, Oc Register, 30 Apr. 2026

The Florida Mobile Home Act offers little real protection against excessive rent hikes or misleading practices that erode homeowners’ equity and quality of life. —Letters To The Editor, The Orlando Sentinel, 29 Apr. 2026

Verb

Despite strict labelling requirements and closer legal cooperation, misleading use of the GOTS certification claims persisted in 2025. —Angela Velasquez, Footwear News, 29 Apr. 2026

With recent New York Federal Reserve Bank research showing that computer science majors now have more trouble finding jobs than humanities majors, the risk of misleading students with false curriculum certainties is genuine. —Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, Fortune, 29 Apr. 2026