Definitions

deceptive

[dih-sep-tiv] / dɪˈsɛp tɪv /

ADJECTIVE

dishonest

Synonyms

STRONGEST

ambiguous deceitful disingenuous false fraudulent misleading slick sneaky subtle tricky underhanded unreliable

WEAK

astucious beguiling bum catchy crafty cunning deceiving deluding delusive delusory designing fake fallacious fishy foxy illusory imposturous indirect insidious lying mock oblique off phony plausible rascal roguish scheming seeming serpentine shifty slippery sly snide specious spurious treacherous two-faced underhand wily

Antonyms

STRONGEST

aboveboard forthright frank genuine honest open real reliable sincere true trustworthy truthful valid

WEAK

upright

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Claude maker Anthropic attacked the company’s ads test in ChatGPT with a Super Bowl commercial that Altman called “funny” but deceptive.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 2, 2026

Any ebbing of drone strikes could be deceptive, with Iran amassing them for another swarming assault.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 18, 2026

OpenAI told the BBC it takes action against accounts that engage in deceptive activity designed to cause harm, including falsely claiming where content comes from.

From BBC • Feb. 27, 2026

The commission also said that X's breaches included the deceptive design of its "blue checkmark" for supposedly verified accounts, and its failure to provide access to public data for researchers.

From Barron's • Feb. 20, 2026

The inlay work stood out even in the deceptive light.

From "A Single Shard" by Linda Sue Park

Vocabulary lists containing deceptive

Fake It 'Til You Make It: Synonyms for "False"

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Essential English Vocabulary, List 2

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Red Kayak

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