English Reference

Word

deceiving

Phoneticsde·ceiv·ing

US/dɪˈsivɪŋ/

UK/dɪsˈiːvɪŋ/

Definitions

01misleading appearance

B2

adj. making you believe something that is not true, especially by looking different from reality.

adj. tending to mislead or give a false impression; often used when the outward appearance of something contradicts its true nature.

“The sunny weather was deceiving because the wind was actually freezing cold.”

“The simplicity of the interface is deceiving, as the software contains a vast array of sophisticated tools for professional data analysis.”

Usage

Often follows a linking verb like 'be', 'seem', or 'look'.

Pitfall

The test was very deceived.

The test was very deceiving.

Use 'deceiving' to describe the thing that tricks you; 'deceived' describes the person who was tricked.

02the act of lying

C1

n. the act of hiding the truth or making someone believe a lie.

n. the action of deliberately causing someone to believe something that is false; the gerundial form of the verb 'deceive'.

“He was tired of the constant deceiving and decided to tell the truth.”

“The systematic deceiving of the public regarding the company's financial health eventually led to a high-profile investigation by the authorities.”

Formal

Usage

Usually functions as an uncountable noun in this sense.

Antonyms

truthfulnesssincerity

This entry

Level
B2 · Upper Intermediate
Frequency
Occasional
Updated

Scan code

English Reference