deceive

de·ceive

Use deceive in a sentence

verb

Deceive is defined as to make someone believe something that isn't true.

An example of deceive is a parent telling their child there is a tooth fairy.

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MLA Style

"deceive." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 19 February 2019. <https://www.yourdictionary.com/Deceive>.

APA Style

deceive. (n.d.). Retrieved February 19th, 2019, from https://www.yourdictionary.com/Deceive

deceive

transitive verb

-·ceived′, -·ceiv′ing

to make (a person) believe what is not true; delude; mislead
Archaic to be false to; betray
Archaic to while away (time)

Origin of deceive

Middle English deceiven from Old French deceveir from Classical Latin decipere, to ensnare, deceive from de-, from + capere, to take: see have

to use deceit; lie

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MLA Style

"deceive." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 19 February 2019. <https://www.yourdictionary.com/Deceive>.

APA Style

deceive. (n.d.). Retrieved February 19th, 2019, from https://www.yourdictionary.com/Deceive

deceive

verb

de·ceived, de·ceiv·ing, de·ceives

verb

transitive

To cause to believe what is not true; mislead.
Archaic To catch by guile; ensnare.

verb

intransitive

To practice deceit.
To give a false impression: appearances can deceive.

Origin of deceive

Middle English deceiven from Old French deceveir from Vulgar Latin dēcipēre from Latin dēcipere to ensnare, deceive dē- de- capere to seize ; see kap- in Indo-European roots.

Related Forms:

de·ceiv′a·ble
adjective

de·ceiv′er
noun

de·ceiv′ing·ly
adverb

THE AMERICAN HERITAGE® DICTIONARY OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE, FIFTH EDITION by the Editors of the American Heritage Dictionaries. Copyright © 2016, 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

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Link to this page

Cite this page

MLA Style

"deceive." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 19 February 2019. <https://www.yourdictionary.com/Deceive>.

APA Style

deceive. (n.d.). Retrieved February 19th, 2019, from https://www.yourdictionary.com/Deceive

deceive

deceive betray mislead beguile delude dupe hoodwink bamboozle double-cross

These verbs mean to lead another into error, danger, or a disadvantageous position by underhand means. Deceive involves the deliberate misrepresentation of the truth: “We are inclined to believe those whom we do not know, because they have never deceived us” (Samuel Johnson). Betray implies treachery: “When you betray somebody else, you also betray yourself” (Isaac Bashevis Singer). Mislead means to lead in the wrong direction or into error of thought or action: “My manhood, long misled by wandering fires,/Followed false lights” (John Dryden). Beguile suggests deceiving by means of charm or allure: They beguiled unwary investors with tales of overnight fortunes. To delude is to mislead the mind or judgment. The government deluded the public about the dangers of low-level radiation. Dupe implies playing upon another's susceptibilities or naiveté: The shoppers were duped by false advertising. Hoodwink refers to deluding by trickery: It is difficult to hoodwink a smart lawyer. Bamboozle means to delude by the use of such tactics as hoaxing or artful persuasion: “Perhaps if I wanted to be understood or to understand I would bamboozle myself into belief, but I am a reporter” (Graham Greene). Double-cross implies the betrayal of a confidence or the willful breaking of a pledge: The thief double-crossed his accomplice.

THE AMERICAN HERITAGE® DICTIONARY OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE, FIFTH EDITION by the Editors of the American Heritage Dictionaries. Copyright © 2016, 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Link/Cite

Link to this page

Cite this page

MLA Style

"deceive." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 19 February 2019. <https://www.yourdictionary.com/Deceive>.

APA Style

deceive. (n.d.). Retrieved February 19th, 2019, from https://www.yourdictionary.com/Deceive

Verb

(third-person singular simple present deceives, present participle deceiving, simple past and past participle deceived)

To trick or mislead.

Related terms

Origin

Middle English deceyven, from Old French deceivre (Modern French décevoir), from Latin decipere (“to deceive, beguile, entrap”), from de- (“from”) + capere (“to seize”); see captive. Compare conceive, perceive, receive.

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