deceptive

adjective

de·​cep·​tive di-ˈsep-tiv How to pronounce deceptive (audio)
: tending or having power to cause someone to accept as true or valid what is false or invalid : tending or having power to deceive
a deceptive appearance
a pitcher with a deceptive windup
deceptively adverb
deceptiveness noun

Examples of deceptive in a Sentence

in his deceptive answer about the vehicle's history, the salesman said that the used car had never been hit by another car a mail-order firm indicted for deceptive business practices
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Lilly has sent cease-and-desist letters to numerous compounding sellers, and both companies have filed lawsuits against numerous compounding pharmacies, alleging trademark infringement and deceptive marketing. Bob Woods, CNBC, 8 Dec. 2024 Yes, but: Brandi Tuck, executive director of the nonprofit Path Home, has been working with homeless families for nearly two decades and says those numbers are likely deceptive undercounts. Kale Williams, Axios, 6 Dec. 2024 By its very design, laundering is vastly complex and deceptive—and that can be exaggerated when crypto is used. Matt Burgess, WIRED, 4 Dec. 2024 While deceptive campaign ads and influencer endorsements were big topics in the past election cycle, political figures possibly engaging in undisclosed influencer marketing is a newer issue. Kat Tenbarge, NBC News, 4 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for deceptive 

Word History

Etymology

see deception

First Known Use

circa 1611, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of deceptive was circa 1611

Dictionary Entries Near deceptive

Cite this Entry

“Deceptive.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/deceptive. Accessed 25 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

deceptive

adjective
de·​cep·​tive di-ˈsep-tiv How to pronounce deceptive (audio)
: tending or having power to deceive : misleading
a deceptive appearance
deceptively adverb
deceptiveness noun

Legal Definition

deceptive

adjective
de·​cep·​tive di-ˈsep-tiv How to pronounce deceptive (audio)
: tending or having capacity to deceive
deceptive trade practices
compare fraudulent, misleading

More from Merriam-Webster on deceptive

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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