Deceive
/dɪˈsiːv/
verbB2
Definition
Deceive means to trick or lie to someone so they believe something false. It often involves hiding the real facts or giving wrong information on purpose. People deceive others to get what they want or to avoid trouble.
Was this helpful?
⚡ See It in Action
To trick or lie to someone on purpose
- •He deceived his friend by pretending to be someone else.
- •The advertisement deceived customers with false promises.
- •She was deceived into giving away her password.
To hide the truth or give false information
- •The spy deceived the enemy about the real plan.
- •Politicians sometimes deceive voters during campaigns.
🧲 Make It Stick
- ✓Think of "deceive" like "lie" (A2 word), but it often means tricking someone carefully, not just saying one wrong sentence.
- ✓Picture a magician who hides how a trick works so the audience believes something impossible.
- ✓It's the feeling when you realize someone did not tell you the truth and you feel surprised or disappointed.
- ✓Sounds like "dis-SEEVE" → imagine someone "seeing" something different than the truth because they are tricked.
- ✓In stories, villains often deceive heroes by hiding their true plans or pretending to be friends.
- ✓NOT like "tell" (which shares real facts), "deceive" means to give false or hidden information.
- ✓NOT like "mistake" (an accident), "deceive" is done on purpose to trick someone.
- ✓NOT like "confuse" (make unclear), "deceive" means to make someone believe something wrong.
🔄 Try Other Words
- •Trick: to make someone believe something false, often by clever action (Use when the focus is on cleverness or playfulness)
- •Mislead: to guide someone to the wrong idea or belief (Use when the false information is indirect or unintentional)
- •Cheat: to act dishonestly to gain advantage (Use when the deception is for unfair gain, especially in games or tests)
🔍 Unboxing
- •Word parts: "de-" (a prefix meaning "from" or "away") + "ceive" from Latin "capere" meaning "to take" → together meaning "to take away" (someone’s true understanding)
- •Etymology: From Latin "decipere," meaning to catch or ensnare by trickery
- •Historical development: Used since the late 1400s in English to mean tricking or misleading someone
- •Modern usage: Commonly used to describe dishonest behavior where truth is hidden or false ideas are given
💭 Reflect & Connect
•What are some situations where people might deceive others for a good reason, if any?
•How can you tell if someone is trying to deceive you? What signs do you look for?
Fill in the blanks with the correct word:
1.People deceive others when they want to ___ something they are not allowed to have.
2.If someone deceives you, they usually do it ___, not by accident.
3.Unlike a simple mistake, deceive means to ___ someone on purpose.
4.The magician deceived the audience by ___ the real method behind the trick.
5.You can deceive someone by giving ___ or hiding important facts.
6.When you feel betrayed, it often means someone has ___ you.
7.Deceive often pairs with words like "intentionally" or "deliberately" to show the action is ___.