Dupe
/duːp/
nounverbB2
Definition
As a noun, a "dupe" is someone who is easily tricked or fooled by others. As a verb, "to dupe" means to trick or deceive someone, often by making them believe something that is not true. It usually involves making someone look foolish or taking advantage of their trust.
Was this helpful?
See It in Action
Noun: A person who is easily tricked or fooled
- •He was a dupe in the scam and lost a lot of money.
- •Don’t be a dupe; always check facts before trusting someone.
- •The con artist made many dupes through his clever lies.
Verb: To trick or deceive someone
- •The salesman duped the customers into buying poor-quality products.
- •She was duped by the fake website and gave away her password.
- •They duped him into signing a contract without reading it.
Make It Stick
- ✓Think of "dupe" like "fool" (A1 word), but more about being tricked without knowing it
- ✓Picture a person with a surprised face after believing a lie or a trick
- ✓It's the feeling when you realize someone has played a joke on you and you believed it at first
- ✓Sounds like "dupe" → imagine a loop where someone gets caught again and again in the same trick
- ✓In stories, the "dupe" is often the character who falls for the villain's plan without seeing it coming
- ✓NOT like "lie" (which is the false statement), "dupe" is about the person who believes the lie or the act of tricking them
- ✓NOT like "cheat" (which is breaking rules to win), "dupe" focuses on fooling or deceiving someone, often harmlessly or cleverly
- ✓NOT like "victim" (which is hurt or damaged), a "dupe" is specifically fooled or tricked, not necessarily physically harmed
Try Other Words
- •Trick: to make someone believe something false (Use when the action is playful or clever deception)
- •Deceive: to make someone believe something untrue, often seriously (Use in more serious or formal contexts)
- •Fool: to make someone act silly or be mistaken (Use when focusing on the person’s mistake rather than the act of tricking)
Unboxing
- •Word parts: (no clear prefix or suffix, root word "dupe")
- •Etymology: From French "duper," meaning to deceive or cheat
- •Historical development: Entered English in the 18th century meaning to deceive someone easily
- •Modern usage: Used both as noun and verb to describe tricking or being tricked, often in informal or everyday speech
Reflect & Connect
•Have you ever been a dupe in a situation? How did it feel to realize you were tricked?
•Why do you think some people are more easily duped than others? What can we do to avoid being duped?
Fill in the blanks
1.He was a dupe because he ___ the false promises without checking the details.
2.When someone is duped, they often feel ___ and embarrassed after the trick is revealed.
3.Unlike a cheat, a dupe is someone who is ___ by another person’s clever plan.
4.The thief duped the old man ___ pretending to be a helpful neighbor.
5.She was quickly duped ___ the fake advertisement and bought the product.
6.Being a dupe can happen to anyone, especially when they ___ too much trust in strangers.
7.After being duped, people usually ___ to be more careful next time.