Pronunciation: /dɪˈsiv/

Definitions of deceive

verb to cause someone to believe something that is not true, typically in order to gain some personal advantage

Example Sentences

A1 She tried to deceive her friends by hiding the surprise party.

A2 The magician deceived the audience with his clever tricks.

B1 The company deceived customers by advertising false benefits.

B2 He was deceived by the con artist who promised him a lucrative investment.

C1 The spy was able to deceive the enemy by posing as a double agent.

C2 The elaborate scheme was designed to deceive even the most astute investigators.

Examples of deceive in a Sentence

formal It is unethical to deceive others in order to gain an advantage.

informal I can't believe he tried to deceive us like that!

slang Don't try to deceive me, I know what you're up to.

figurative The mirage in the desert deceived the travelers into thinking they were close to water.

Grammatical Forms of deceive

past tense

deceived

plural

deceives

comparative

more deceitful

superlative

most deceitful

present tense

deceives

future tense

will deceive

perfect tense

has deceived

continuous tense

is deceiving

singular

deceiver

positive degree

deceitful

infinitive

to deceive

gerund

deceiving

participle

deceived

Origin and Evolution of deceive

First Known Use: 1250 year
Language of Origin: Latin
Story behind the word: The word 'deceive' originated from the Latin word 'decipere', which means 'to ensnare, to cheat'.
Evolution of the word: Over time, 'deceive' has retained its original meaning of tricking or misleading someone, but has also expanded to encompass broader concepts of dishonesty and manipulation.