DECEIVE Synonyms: 73 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How does the verb 'deceive' differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of deceive are beguile , delude , and mislead . While all these words mean "to lead astray or frustrate usually by underhandedness," deceive implies imposing a false idea or belief that causes ignorance, bewilderment, or helplessness. // tried to deceive me about the cost

Q: In what contexts can 'beguile' take the place of 'deceive'?

Although the words beguile and deceive have much in common, beguile stresses the use of charm and persuasion in deceiving. // was beguiled by false promises

Q: When is 'delude' a more appropriate choice than 'deceive'?

While the synonyms delude and deceive are close in meaning, delude implies deceiving so thoroughly as to obscure the truth. // we were deluded into thinking we were safe

Q: When is it sensible to use 'mislead' instead of 'deceive'?

The words mislead and deceive can be used in similar contexts, but mislead implies a leading astray that may or may not be intentional. // I was misled by the confusing sign

deceive

verb

di-ˈsēv

Definition of deceive

as in to fool

to cause to believe what is untrue he went to great lengths to deceive his family about the nature of his new job at the mall

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How does the verb deceive differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of deceive are beguile, delude, and mislead. While all these words mean "to lead astray or frustrate usually by underhandedness," 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 beguile take the place of deceive?

Although the words beguile and deceive have much in common, beguile stresses the use of charm and persuasion in deceiving.

was beguiled by false promises

When is delude a more appropriate choice than deceive?

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

we were deluded into thinking we were safe

When is it sensible to use mislead instead of deceive?

The words mislead and deceive can be used in similar contexts, but mislead implies a leading astray that may or may not be intentional.

I was misled by the confusing sign

Example Sentences

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.

Recent Examples of deceive That March, Stewart was convicted of conspiring with her Merrill Lynch stockbroker, Peter Bacanovic, to deceive authorities probing her December 2001 sale of the ImClone stock. — Janine Henni, PEOPLE, 3 Aug. 2026 The Federal Trade Commission sued Hims & Hers yesterday, alleging the direct-to-consumer telehealth company deceived consumers purchasing clinical care and medications through the site. — Helen Branswell, STAT, 30 July 2026 Mora filed a cross-complaint against Giumarra alleging he was deceived by the company and its representatives into signing a contract that made false claims about the fruit, including that it was patented by Giumarra. — Robert Rodriguez, Sacbee.com, 24 July 2026 The ensuing investigation ultimately revealed that Angela had framed Hadley and uncovered evidence of her long history of deceiving people to gain sympathy. — Britt Hayes, Entertainment Weekly, 23 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for deceive

Recent Examples of Synonyms for deceive

Verb

Because being fooled once is a shame; being fooled twice — that’s moronic.

— Mirjam Swanson, Los Angeles Times, 14 Aug. 2026
Why fake rental listings fool smart people Rental scammers understand timing.

— Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 12 Aug. 2026

Definition of fool

Verb

Giovannoni showed that the free, open-source tool successfully tricked scammers into giving away their own private personal information, such as phone numbers, addresses, and even bank account details.

— Kim Key, PC Magazine, 8 Aug. 2026
Hackers have learned to exploit the public's anxiety about cybersecurity failures to trick people into revealing personal data.

— Evan Zimmer, CNBC, 6 Aug. 2026

Definition of trick

Verb

The bellwether verdict came only one day after Meta lost a state trial in New Mexico, where the social media giant was ordered to pay out $375 million for misleading users about social media’s impact on children’s mental health.

— Zachary Folk, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026
Further investigation found that while trying to chase Massey down, Beck was the one who allegedly discharged his weapon and then swapped the gun in the store and intentionally misled police.

— Elle Meyers, CBS News, 10 Aug. 2026

Definition of mislead

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deceivable

deceive

deceived

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“Deceive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deceive. Accessed 15 Aug. 2026.

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