DECOYED Synonyms: 39 Similar and Opposite Words

decoyed

verb

past tense of decoy

as in tempted

to lead away from a usual or proper course by offering some pleasure or advantage tacky souvenir shops to which first-time tourists had been decoyed into spending their hard-earned money

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 decoyed Dowdle busted loose for a first down with 40 seconds to play after Young decoyed putting him in pass protection, and those 19 yards put the Panthers in position to kick a field goal after they’d won the coin flip and maneuvered to get the wind at the end. — Luke Decock, Charlotte Observer, 2 Nov. 2025

Recent Examples of Synonyms for decoyed

Verb

The mini bar—located inside a gorgeous wooden cabinet—was filled with local spirits like pox, a Mayan liquor made of corn, sugar cane, and wheat, and Mayalen Guerrero mezcal in a bottle so beautiful I was tempted to sneak it back in my suitcase.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 19 Aug. 2026
Countries beyond the United States may be tempted to blackmail their allies, and the threat of nuclear attacks could become normalized.

— Mark Leonard, Foreign Affairs, 18 Aug. 2026

Definition of tempted

Verb

Another tale describes maintenance workers at the Old Zoo dumping spoiled soda syrup off the cliff, which lured swarms of bees.

— Jaclyn Cosgrove, Los Angeles Times, 20 Aug. 2026
At the crossroads of civilizations, this island nation has long lured design buffs with its walled villages, fairy-tale architecture, and mix of Arab and European influences.

— Sam Cochran, Architectural Digest, 19 Aug. 2026

Definition of lured

Verb

Blowing Oleksa’s cover would mean publicly admitting that there are five senators on her asset list — one of whom was seduced into posing for some, uh, compromising photographs.

— Andy Andersen, Vulture, 16 Aug. 2026
Nevertheless, don’t be seduced by someone else (or even yourself), because things are not clear today.

— Georgia Nicols, Denver Post, 10 Aug. 2026

Definition of seduced

Verb

Stuart Evey, who oversaw who oversaw Getty Oil’s investments outside its core oil business, persuaded the company's board to invest $10 million for an 85% stake.

— Nicole Kraft, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2026
Last summer, Curtis persuaded them to join Citizen Historians, a grassroots effort to monitor Smithsonian exhibitions for political interference.

— Julian Lucas, New Yorker, 20 Aug. 2026

Definition of persuaded

Verb

Marvel Studios began moving its production operations to Georgia, enticed by the state’s uncapped tax credits that could be used for actors’ salaries.

— Stacy Perman, Los Angeles Times, 20 Aug. 2026
Ryninks was delighted to have enticed such a high calibre of Welsh talent aboard this small indie.

— Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 14 Aug. 2026

Definition of enticed

Browse Nearby Words

decoy

decoyed

decoying

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Decoyed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/decoyed. Accessed 22 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of decoyed

verb

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster on decoyed

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

august

Popular in Grammar & Usage

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

How to Pronounce the Trickiest Menu Items

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Do you 'say your piece' or 'say your peace'?

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Popular in Wordplay

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List

Even More Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

The Words of the Week - Aug. 21

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Popular

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List

Games & Quizzes