deceiving
Leading someone astray
Deceiving is the present participle of deceive, meaning to cause someone to believe something false.
The word works as a verb form He's been deceiving his wife for years and as an adjective deceiving appearances.
What's deceiving leads you away from truth—whether through outright lies, omissions, or misleading impressions.
Identity-concealing alteration
- charadeAbsurd or obvious pretense
- pretenseDeceptive outward show
- facadeDeceptive outward appearance
- personaAssumed public identity
incognito · concealment · camouflage · front · guise · mask · impostor · cover
Deliberate deception or fraud
- fraudIntentional criminal trickery
- subterfugeDeliberate deception to conceal
- cunningSly, scheming cleverness
- artificeClever deceptive strategy
chicanery · manipulation · scheming · ruse · ploy · hoax · underhandedness · dissembling
Deceive through cunning
- beguileCharm into deception
- hoodwinkTrick into false belief
- deludeLead into false belief
- misinformConvey false details
disinform · lead astray · obfuscate · bluff · equivocate · prevaricate · inveigle · cozen
Fraudulent imitation
- fabricatedInvented, not real
- bogusCounterfeit or fraudulent
- spuriousFalse though appearing genuine
- phonyFraudulent person or thing
fraudulent · sham · ersatz · forged · fake · falsified · misrepresentative · specious
Deliberate violation of trust
- backstabbingCovert betrayal of trust
- perfidyDeliberate breach of trust
- treasonBetraying one's nation
- double-crossTreacherous deception of partner
disloyalty · infidelity · sedition · sabotage · betrayal · Judas · sellout · stab in the back
Supernatural or illusory power
- mirageAtmospheric optical deception
- sleightDexterous trickery
- conjuringPerforming magical illusions
- trompe-l'oeilArt mimicking three dimensions
legerdemain · misdirection · prestidigitation · smoke and mirrors · optical illusion · card trick · illusion · stage magic
disguise
Identity-concealing alteration
persona · incognito · concealment · camouflage · front · guise · mask · impostor · cover · alias
trickery
Deliberate deception or fraud
- fraudIntentional criminal trickery
- subterfugeDeliberate deception to conceal
- cunningSly, scheming cleverness
artifice · chicanery · manipulation · scheming · ruse · ploy · hoax · underhandedness · dissembling · imposture
bamboozle
Deceive through cunning
misinform · disinform · lead astray · obfuscate · bluff · equivocate · prevaricate · inveigle · cozen · dupe
counterfeit
Fraudulent imitation
- fabricatedInvented, not real
- bogusCounterfeit or fraudulent
- spuriousFalse though appearing genuine
phony · fraudulent · sham · ersatz · forged · fake · falsified · misrepresentative · specious · feigned
treachery
Deliberate violation of trust
- backstabbingCovert betrayal of trust
- perfidyDeliberate breach of trust
- treasonBetraying one's nation
double-cross · disloyalty · infidelity · sedition · sabotage · betrayal · Judas · sellout · stab in the back · turncoat
magic
Supernatural or illusory power
trompe-l'oeil · legerdemain · misdirection · prestidigitation · smoke and mirrors · optical illusion · card trick · illusion · stage magic · mentalism
- misconductmisconduct, bullying, stealing, vandalism, cheating
- scamsscam, scams, fraud, frauds, swindle
- cunningcunning, craftiness, crafty, guile, slyness
- hostile behaviorsattacking, bullying, fighting, harassing, hitting
- fooling aroundjoking, kidding, jesting, fooling, teasing
- shamingshaming, humiliating, disgracing, dishonoring, degrading
deceivingtelling the truth
being honest · truthful · honest · sincere · forthright
deceivingtruthful
Accurate and sincere
honest · telling the truth · being honest · genuine · authentic
deceivingrevealing
Making known what's hidden
disclosing · exposing · enlightening · informing · clarifying