Deceptive

/dɪˈsɛptɪv/

Meaning & Definition

adjective

tending to deceive; misleading or fraudulent.

The deceptive advertisement promised instant weight loss without any effort.

not genuine; appearing to be something that it is not.

Her smile was deceptive; beneath it lay a great deal of sadness.

designed to mislead or trick.

The magician used deceptive tactics to create the illusion of a floating ball.

giving an appearance or impression different from the true one.

The deceptive calm of the sea before the storm made sailors underestimate the danger.

Late Middle English: from de- (expressing reversal) + cept- (from Latin capere 'to seize') + -ive.

deceptive appearance:

an outward look that misrepresents reality

deceptive practices:

activities that involve tricking or misleading others

deceptive marketing:

advertising that misrepresents the quality or characteristics of a product

playing someone

He was just playing her, being deceptive about his feelings.

pulling a fast one

Don't let him pull a fast one with that deceptive smile.