deceive

USAGE SUMMARY

The word "deceive" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to refer to someone being tricked or misled by providing false information. For example, "She was deceived by his false promises."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

"However, the Wikipedia project is founded on trust, and anyone who tries to deceive our volunteers and readers in order to further their own ends should think very carefully about the morality of what they're doing.

The Guardian

While this is permitted in certain circumstances, it was not in this case: it is clear that the account was created in order to confuse or deceive editors.

The Guardian

I'm not pretending this is a universal rule; famously, looks can deceive.

The Guardian - Sport

When there is no collective voice for those who are within structures that deceive and oppress, then somebody has to act courageously on his own.

The Guardian - Tech

Why is the prime minister continuing to deceive Australians about $80bn in cuts to schools and hospitals?

The Guardian

He has tried to deceive us, he has tried to deceive the electorate, he has tried to deceive the police".

The Guardian

There are swathes of voluntourism traps out to deceive people and I was lucky that, after passing on various volunteering "packages", I remembered a chance recommendation about a government programme, ICS.

The Guardian

They allegedly added water to increase its volume and, to disguise this, mixed in melamine, a chemical used to make plastics, which can deceive inspectors about the milk's protein content.

The Economist

Given the Iraqi dictator's history of systematic mendacity, especially his well-documented and largely successful attempts to deceive the previous lot of UN inspectors, who withdrew from Iraq in 1998, the elected leaders of America and Britain may feel entitled to find such a question insulting.

The Economist

Some have even accused him of trying to deceive his interlocutors by painting too rosy a picture of the new Zimbabwe, perhaps out of a misplaced sense of patriotism.Yes, there have been some improvements.

The Economist

In polls and focus groups the voters of middle England say they think the government has broken its promises on tax increases and is trying to deceive them about the improvements to schools and hospitals that their money was meant to secure.

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "deceive", ensure the context clearly indicates the intent to mislead or create a false impression. Use stronger verbs like "defraud" or "swindle" if financial dishonesty is involved.

Common error

Avoid using "deceive" when the action is unintentional. Use "mislead" to indicate a lack of intent to manipulate.

Linguistic Context

The primary function of "deceive" is as a transitive verb, requiring a direct object (the person or entity being deceived). It signifies the act of causing someone to believe something that is not true, often with the intention of gaining an advantage or avoiding detection. Ludwig confirms its correct usage.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

56%

Formal & Business

25%

Science

19%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "deceive" is a transitive verb used to describe the intentional act of causing someone to believe something false. As Ludwig AI confirms, it's grammatically correct and widely used, especially in News & Media and Formal & Business contexts. Related terms include "mislead", "trick", and "defraud", each with slightly different nuances. It's crucial to differentiate "deceive" from "mislead", reserving the former for intentional acts of deception. When a writer wants to use it, they should ensure that there is an intent of misleading someone by providing false information.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

Mislead

A broader term that includes unintentionally leading someone to a wrong conclusion; "deceive" implies intent.

Trick

Suggests a clever or cunning method of deceiving.

Defraud

Implies financial deception or cheating.

Hoodwink

Suggests deceiving by false appearance; often implies temporary deception.

Dupe

To deceive, especially by tricking someone into believing or doing something foolish.

Swindle

Obtain something by deception; similar to 'defraud', but can also refer to property.

Betray

To break someone's trust, leading to deception.

Take advantage of

Exploiting someone's naiveté to gain an unfair advantage; it may or may not involve outright lies.

Outwit

To gain an advantage over someone by using one's ingenuity; to be more clever in deceiving them.

Lead astray

To divert someone from the right path or course, which can be either literal or figurative, and often involves deception.

FAQs

How to use "deceive" in a sentence?

Use "deceive" to indicate an intentional act of causing someone to believe something that is not true. For example, "He tried to deceive me about his past".

What can I say instead of "deceive"?

You can use alternatives like "mislead", "trick", or "defraud" depending on the context.

Which is correct, "deceive" or "mislead"?

"Deceive" implies an intent to cause someone to believe something that is false, while "mislead" can be intentional or unintentional. Choose the word that accurately reflects the actor's intent.

What's the difference between "deceive" and "betray"?

"Deceive" involves making someone believe something untrue, while "betray" involves violating someone's trust. Deception can be a part of betrayal, but betrayal also involves a breach of loyalty.