Meaning & use

deceive

verb·Academic

To cause someone to believe something that is not true, usually in order to gain an advantage.

See it in a sentence

He deceived investors by hiding the company's massive financial losses.

She felt betrayed after learning her business partner had deceived her for years.

A note on using this word

Deceive implies deliberate intent to mislead, distinguishing it from an honest mistake.

Words with a similar meaning

misleadtrickdupe

Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.

Words with an opposite meaning

enlighten

Make it your own

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