What context can I use each word in?
Learn when and how to use these words with these examples!
deceive
Example
He deceived his friend by telling him he had won the lottery. [deceived: verb]
Example
The con artist deceived the elderly woman into giving him her life savings. [deceived: past participle]
delude
Example
The cult leader deluded his followers into thinking he was a god. [deluded: verb]
Example
She was deluded into thinking she could win the race without any training. [deluded: past participle]
Good things to know
Which word is more common?
Deceive is more common than delude in everyday language.
What’s the difference in the tone of formality between deceive and delude?
Both deceive and delude can be used in formal and informal contexts, but deceive is more versatile and can be used in a wider range of situations.
