What context can I use each word in?
Learn when and how to use these words with these examples!
befool
Example
He tried to befool his friends by pretending to be a famous celebrity. [befool: verb]
Example
She was befooled by the salesman's false promises and ended up buying a useless product. [befooled: past tense]
deceive
Example
He deceived his business partner by secretly taking all the profits for himself. [deceive: verb]
Example
She felt deceived when she found out her friend had been spreading rumors about her. [deceived: past tense]
Good things to know
Which word is more common?
Deceive is more commonly used than befool in everyday language. Deceive is versatile and covers a wide range of contexts, while befool is less common and may be considered more old-fashioned.
What’s the difference in the tone of formality between befool and deceive?
While befool is typically associated with a more playful or light-hearted tone, deceive is more versatile and can be employed in both formal and informal contexts.
