Word
Definition
n. a person or object used to trick someone into looking away from what is really happening. You use it to lead someone into a trap or away from a target.
n. a person or object used to lure an individual or entity into a trap or to distract attention from a primary target. Often used in military, hunting, or security contexts to misdirect an opponent.
Examples
“The police used a decoy car to catch the thieves.”
“Hunters often place wooden ducks on the water as a decoy to attract real birds to the area.”
“The fighter jets deployed flares as a decoy to confuse the heat-seeking missiles and allow the pilots to escape the combat zone safely.”
Examples
simple
“The police used a decoy car to catch the thieves.”
contextual
“Hunters often place wooden ducks on the water as a decoy to attract real birds to the area.”
complex
“The fighter jets deployed flares as a decoy to confuse the heat-seeking missiles and allow the pilots to escape the combat zone safely.”
Usage
Often used with the verb 'to use' or 'to act as'.
Real-World Examples
“There, decoy actors playing the supposed teenagers would be waiting.” Etymology
From Dutch de + kooi, literally "the cage". Possibly related to verb coy (which itself may have been influenced by decoy).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Related words
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/decoy
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「日本語」 data: JMdict (EDRDG), CC BY-SA 4.0