deceive Definition
- 1to make someone believe something that is not true
- 2to trick or mislead someone
Using deceive: Examples
Take a moment to familiarize yourself with how "deceive" can be used in various situations through the following examples!
Example
He deceived me into thinking he was a doctor.
Example
The company deceived its customers by selling old computers as new ones.
Example
She felt deceived by his promises.
Example
The magician's tricks deceived the audience.
deceive Synonyms and Antonyms
Idioms Using deceive
Example
He led her up the garden path with promises of love and commitment, only to break her heart in the end.
Example
He thought he could pull the wool over my eyes, but I knew exactly what he was up to.
Example
Don't trust him; he's just trying to take you for a ride.
Phrases with deceive
self-deception
the act of deceiving oneself or the state of being deceived by oneself
Example
His self-deception about his abilities led to his downfall.
to believe something that is not true, often in order to feel better about a situation
Example
She deceived herself into thinking that he would change his mind.
to be different from what one appears to be
Example
The house may look small from the outside, but it deceives appearances; it's actually quite spacious inside.
Origins of deceive
from Old French 'deceivre', from Latin 'decipere', meaning 'to ensnare, catch, cheat'
Summary: deceive in Brief
To deceive [dɪˈsiːv] means to make someone believe something that is not true or to trick or mislead someone. It can refer to situations like being deceived by a magician's tricks or a company selling old computers as new ones. Phrases like 'deceive oneself' and 'deceive appearances' denote self-deception or situations where things are not what they seem. Idioms like 'lead someone up the garden path' and 'pull the wool over someone's eyes' describe situations where someone is deceived or tricked.
