Deceive

/dɪˈsiːv/

Meaning & Definition

verb

to cause someone to believe something that is not true; to mislead or trick.

He tried to deceive her into thinking he was someone else.

to make someone believe something that is not true, typically as a way of gaining personal advantage.

The con artist deceived many people out of their savings.

to mislead or give a false impression.

The calm surface of the lake deceived them into thinking it was safe to swim.

to fool or trick someone.

She felt deceived by her friends when they planned a surprise party without telling her.

Late Middle English: from Old French deceveir, from Latin decipere 'catch, ensnare, deceive' (from de- 'from' + capere 'to seize').

deceive oneself

To convince oneself of a falsehood.

deceived by appearances

To be tricked by how things look.

appearances can be deceiving

Things are not always as they seem.

deception

The act of deceiving or misleading someone.

deceptive

Giving an appearance or impression different from the true one.

deceiver

A person who deceives others.

pull a fast one

He pulled a fast one on his friends by pretending to be someone else.

lead someone on

She led him on for weeks before revealing the truth.