tricked

USAGE SUMMARY

The word "tricked" is a correct and usable word in written English.
You can use it when you are describing a situation in which someone has been deceived or taken advantage of in some way. For example, "He was tricked into signing a contract without knowing what it said."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

And sometimes she watches me warily – she is not about to be tricked into blowing her own trumpet.

The Guardian

I feel now I was tricked as he told me that he is buying the door not the painting.

The Guardian

Ahead of Sturgeon's speech, Gordon Brown, the former prime minister, warned voters not to be tricked by the SNP, saying that they still wanted to break up the UK and couldn't be trusted with the NHS.

The Guardian

I have not forgotten how you tricked me in the past.

The Guardian

What I did re my drunken friend was: I invented a far wilder club we had to go to, tricked him out of his car keys, drove him home.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

I also understand that they were tricked, they were made to sign things.

The Guardian

They're expected to make timely debt repayments – even though the company tricked them into signing the dotted line – and potential enrollees are still being encouraged to max out their eligibility for federally-backed student loans.

The Guardian - Opinion

He abandoned her in a psychiatric hospital; and, when they were living separately, tricked her into letting him sleep in her house to scupper divorce proceedings, because he depended on the fortune she inherited from Gomez Carrillo.

The Guardian - Books

Since China is Vietnam's biggest trading partner, you might be interested in seeing how the Dong stacks up against the yuan.Lastly we write at Gulliver, another of our sister blogs, about the case of a a would-be traveller who tricked China Eastern Airlines into buying him food for a year.

The Economist

The human eye can be tricked into seeing a range of colours on a video display, even though it really only consists of tiny red, green and blue dots.

The Economist

Economists tricked themselves into thinking that the resulting compression in the income and wealth distribution was a natural feature of the maturation of capitalist economies.

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "tricked", ensure the context clearly indicates who was deceived and the method of deception for clarity.

Common error

Avoid using "tricked" when the situation involves a misunderstanding rather than intentional deception. Use "misled" or "mistaken" instead to reflect unintentional errors.

Linguistic Context

The word "tricked" functions primarily as the past tense and past participle of the verb "trick". It describes an action where someone has been deceived or manipulated. Ludwig examples show its usage in various contexts, confirming its role in indicating completed acts of deception.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Formal & Business

20%

Science

10%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

2%

Wiki

4%

Social Media

4%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "tricked" is a very common verb form used to indicate that someone has been deceived. As Ludwig AI confirms, it is grammatically correct and widely applicable in various writing styles. The phrase appears most frequently in news and media contexts. While the word itself is generally neutral, the act of being "tricked" typically implies negative consequences. When using "tricked", clarity is key – make sure to specify who was tricked and how. For similar meanings, you can use "deceived", "duped", or "misled" to add nuance to your writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

deceived

Simple substitution with a synonym emphasizing the act of misleading someone.

duped

Similar to "tricked" but often implies a higher degree of gullibility on the part of the person being deceived.

hoodwinked

Suggests a clever and cunning deception, often involving elaborate schemes.

swindled

Implies that deception led to financial loss for the victim.

taken advantage of

Focuses on the exploitation aspect, highlighting that someone was unfairly used.

misled

Emphasizes the act of guiding someone in the wrong direction, whether intentionally or unintentionally.

bamboozled

Informal term for "tricked", implying a playful or lighthearted deception.

outwitted

Suggests the use of superior intelligence to trick someone, implying the person tricked was not as smart.

manipulated

Highlights the controlling aspect of deception, where someone's actions are influenced against their will.

defrauded

Specifically refers to tricking someone out of money or property using illegal methods.

FAQs

How can I use "tricked" in a sentence?

You can use "tricked" to describe a situation where someone was deceived or manipulated, such as "He was "tricked into" signing a bad contract" or "She felt she had been "tricked by" the salesman's false promises".

What are some alternatives to the word "tricked"?

Depending on the context, you could use alternatives like "deceived", "duped", "hoodwinked", or "misled". Each word carries slightly different connotations regarding the nature and extent of the deception.

Is it correct to say "tricked by" or "tricked into"?

Both "tricked by" and "tricked into" are correct, but they are used in slightly different contexts. "Tricked by" refers to the agent of deception (e.g., "He was "tricked by" a con artist"), while "tricked into" describes the action the person was deceived into doing (e.g., "He was "tricked into" investing in a scam").

What's the difference between "tricked" and "cheated"?

"Tricked" generally implies deception to gain an advantage, while "cheated" often involves breaking rules or agreements. You might be "tricked into" buying a faulty product, but you are "cheated on" during a game or in a relationship.