Need another word for Deceptive? Use these synonyms of Deceptive from our thesaurus to say it differently.
Synonyms & Similar Words
deceitful
dishonest
fraudulent
false
misleading
untrue
insincere
duplicitous
cunning
crafty
sly
treacherous
perfidious
double-dealing
untrustworthy
unreliable
mendacious
fallacious
spurious
fake
sham
pretended
artificial
contrived
manipulated
distorted
biased
prejudiced
deceptive
illusory
delusive
illusive
Meaning of Deceptive
The primary meaning of the word "Deceptive" is related to something that is intended to deceive or mislead people.
Definitions
- Giving a false impression, misleading, or intended to deceive
- * Not genuine or authentic, but pretending to be so
Etymology of Deceptive
The word "Deceptive" originates from the Latin "decept-", which is the past participle stem of "decipere", meaning to deceive or cheat, and the suffix "-ive", which forms an adjective indicating a tendency or quality.
Historically, the word has been used in English since the 15th century to describe something that is intended to deceive or mislead.
Example Uses
- The company's deceptive advertising practices led to a lawsuit.
- * The deceptive calm before the storm made it difficult to predict the hurricane's arrival.
- * The politician's deceptive smile hid his true intentions.