deceptive

adjective

di-ˈsep-tiv How to pronounce deceptive (audio)
Definition of deceptivenext
1
as in misleading
tending or having power to deceive in his deceptive answer about the vehicle's history, the salesman said that the used car had never been hit by another car

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in fraudulent
given to or marked by cheating and deception a mail-order firm indicted for deceptive business practices

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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 deceptive On March 24, a jury in New Mexico ruled that the social media giant willfully violated consumer protection laws by harming children's mental health through its deceptive product design. — Paulina Likos, CNBC, 24 Aug. 2026 In 2009, after the advocacy group Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood threatened a class-action lawsuit over deceptive marketing claims, Disney began offering every household a refund for up to four Baby Einstein DVDs. — Elise Broach, New Yorker, 21 Aug. 2026 Critics have accused Freedom 250 of politicizing and profiting off the milestone, with congressional Democrats accusing it of wire fraud and other deceptive fundraising practices in a report published last month. — Rachel Treisman, NPR, 21 Aug. 2026 In response to a list of questions that ProPublica submitted to the governor’s office, a spokesperson defended the amendment using much the same language that critics call deceptive. — Jeremy Kohler, ProPublica, 21 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for deceptive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for deceptive
  1. misleading
  2. fraudulent
  3. false
  4. shady
  5. dishonest
  6. crooked
Adjective
  • Blanche is also confronting growing distrust of the Justice Department among judges, who in multiple cases have accused government lawyers of withholding information or misleading courts.
    — Alanna Durkin Richer, Chicago Tribune, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Both made misleading statements when questioned by authorities, according to the lawsuit.
    — Chase Jordan August 27, Charlotte Observer, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of misleading
Adjective
  • Police said Pabst later learned that the pickup documents were fraudulent.
    — Saleen Martin, USA Today, 3 Sep. 2026
  • Washington rejected the legitimacy of the 2018 election that returned Maduro to office and also considered his 2024 reelection fraudulent.
    — Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of fraudulent
Adjective
  • The lawsuit filed by two former employees contains allegations that are false, misleading, and unsupported by credible evidence.
    — Devon Henderson, New York Times, 2 Sep. 2026
  • Zucker provided false and misleading statements to investigators, according to a summary of findings released Wednesday.
    — Dan Mangan, CNBC, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of false
Adjective
  • But for now, CyberLeek is trying to monetize the GTA 6 leaks by asking for shady donations.
    — Michael Kan, PC Magazine, 25 Aug. 2026
  • Others sat in shady spots on Montrose Avenue where the parade units combined with waiting community groups to end the parade at the festival grounds.
    — Karie Angell Luc, Chicago Tribune, 24 Aug. 2026
Definition of shady
Adjective
  • There are no controversies and any attempt to generate them is dishonest and disingenuous.
    — Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 26 Aug. 2026
  • If a claim is substantiated, the plagiarist is seen as sloppy or lazy at best, and fundamentally dishonest at worst.
    — Roger J. Kreuz, The Conversation, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of dishonest
Adjective
  • Cowin soon shifted to straighter technical methods applied to crooked storylines.
    — Leah Ollman, Los Angeles Times, 25 Aug. 2026
  • In addition, there are crooked cops on the inside trying to spring El Chapo, so the arresting officers need to quickly figure out who to trust.
    — K. Thor Jensen, PC Magazine, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of crooked

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Cite this Entry

“Deceptive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deceptive. Accessed 4 Sep. 2026.

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