decoys 1 of 2

noun

plural of decoy
as in baits
something used to attract animals to a hook or into a trap we set the decoy afloat in the marsh and from the blind waited for the ducks to arrive

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

decoys

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of decoy
as in lures
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

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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 decoys
Noun
Laugh out loud, rock out to an indie band, learn about duck decoys, see a mashup of classic literature and rock-n-roll or let your kids have early trick-or-treat fun. — John Coffren, Baltimore Sun, 8 Oct. 2026 The Ukrainian air force said Russia also launched some 130 drones, which included a mix of attack drones and decoys. — ABC News, 7 Oct. 2026 Pattinson plays Hansen, and the film also stars Merritt Wever as cynical producer Andie Bender, Anna Faris as Hansen’s wife, Tony Revolori as an ex-Marine child predator and Phoebe Bridgers and Skyler Gisondo as decoys. — Emma Urdangen, PEOPLE, 26 Sep. 2026 Did Chris Hansen really mentor decoys during To Catch a Predator? — Samantha Bergeson, Vanity Fair, 24 Sep. 2026 The attack involved ballistic and cruise missiles as well as drones and decoys. — Arkansas Online, 18 Sep. 2026 The use of decoys inside a network to trap hackers isn’t new. — Michael Kan, PC Magazine, 16 Sep. 2026 Counterbalancing him is a young actor cast to play one of the show’s decoys (an excellent Skylar Gisondo), whose guilelessness only magnifies the film’s sense of Hansen as a man constructed entirely out of TV-friendly sheen. — Nate Jones, Vulture, 5 Sep. 2026 Hickey surrendered three guns, a bow, blinds, decoys, 115 pounds of turkey meat and 47 turkey fans. — Kris Millgate, Outdoor Life, 21 Aug. 2026
Verb
Osit looks for answers in multiple places, interviewing law enforcement officials and district attorneys, academics, and former Perverted Justice decoys from the show. — Jason Newman, Rolling Stone, 20 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for decoys
  1. baits
  2. lures
  3. tempts
  4. seduces
Noun
  • To achieve that fluttering action, the material in these baits is very soft.
    — Joe Cermele, Outdoor Life, 15 Oct. 2026
  • Judging by the surge in both the number and range of baits used on authors over the past couple of years, the scams seem to be launched from multiple territories.
    — Snigdha Poonam, The Dial, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of baits
Verb
  • In the exceedingly bleak ending to the book, Bela realizes that the demon has killed and styled itself after her Grandma Ruth, who lures Russell and Ursula to their death.
    — William Earl, Variety, 9 Oct. 2026
  • The Vegetarian by Han Kang, 208 Pages This haunting novel lures readers when a woman’s sudden decision to stop eating meat triggers a destructive crisis in her family.
    — Arabella Hau, Southern Living, 27 Sep. 2026
Definition of lures
Verb
  • For most, fear of shame is a necessary backstop to push people away from what wrongly tempts them.
    — Robert A. Ballingall, The Conversation, 13 Oct. 2026
  • While Sal tempts Sessa’s Bourdain with drugs, thievery and more bad behavior.
    — Laurie Ochoa, Los Angeles Times, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of tempts
Verb
  • Artificial plays like a modern-day parable in which the trickster god seduces the innocent.
    — E. Alex Jung, Vulture, 2 Oct. 2026
  • Diaz centers music as the emotional vehicle that provides a philosophical structure for the character tropes and in turn psychologically seduces the audience to internalize certain ideas of social dynamics.
    — Damaly Gonzalez, ARTnews.com, 30 Sep. 2026
Definition of seduces

Browse Nearby Words

decoying
decoys
decrease
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Cite this Entry

“Decoys.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/decoys. Accessed 21 Oct. 2026.

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