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.

“While JetBlue is now claiming the post was an ‘error,’ their only mistake was pulling back the curtain on their own deceptive pricing practices.”

From MarketWatch • Apr. 20, 2026

"Meta must do more to address the proliferation of deceptive AI-generated content on its platforms... so that users can distinguish between what is real and fake", it said.

From BBC • Mar. 10, 2026

“I guess it’s on brand for Anthropic doublespeak to use a deceptive ad to critique theoretical deceptive ads that aren’t real,” Altman posted on X.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 7, 2026

I wasn’t trying to be deceptive; I think I was trying to be protective.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 20, 2026

He said, “You don’t look dangerous, but you are, and you blend with nature like a green snake, deceptive and deadly when you want to be.”

From "A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier" by Ishmael Beah

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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