deceptive
Giving wrong impressions
Deceptive describes something that misleads or creates a false impression.
A deceptive appearance conceals true nature; deceptive advertising makes products seem better than they are.
Something can be deceptive without intent—The calm surface was deceptive; strong currents ran beneath.
Deceptively is often ambiguous: a deceptively simple problem may be either harder or easier than it looks.
Dishonest money-making scheme
- hoaxDeliberate deception for effect
- counterfeitFraudulent imitation
- swindleDeception for financial gain
- forgeryCreating fraudulent imitations
sham · bogus · phony · con · fake · charlatan · impostor · quack
Atmospheric optical deception
- hallucinationPerception without external cause
- apparitionVisible supernatural manifestation
- phantasmIllusory supernatural appearance
- chimeraUnrealistic fantasy or hybrid
figment · delusion · vision · fantasy · hologram · trompe l'oeil · optical illusion · sleight of hand
Cleverly deceptive
- furtiveSecretive and sly
- covertIntentionally concealed
- stealthySecretly cautious in movement
- underhandedSecretly dishonest or unfair
clandestine · secretive · shifty · slippery · two-faced · backstabbing · double-dealing · treacherous
Secretly planning wrongdoing
- schemingCrafty and calculating
- calculatingColdly self-serving in strategy
- cunningSly, scheming cleverness
- exploitativeUnfairly using others' vulnerabilities
coercive · controlling · insidious · gaslighting · guilt-tripping · persuasion · influence · brainwashing
Depict inaccurately or falsely
- distortTwist from original form
- falsifyDistort the truth
- misinformConvey false details
- disinformSpread false information deliberately
exaggerate · understate · overstate · spin · half-truth · equivocate · obfuscate · prevaricate
scam
Dishonest money-making scheme
- hoaxDeliberate deception for effect
- counterfeitFraudulent imitation
- swindleDeception for financial gain
forgery · sham · bogus · phony · con · fake · charlatan · impostor · quack · falsified
mirage
Atmospheric optical deception
- hallucinationPerception without external cause
- apparitionVisible supernatural manifestation
- phantasmIllusory supernatural appearance
chimera · figment · delusion · vision · fantasy · hologram · trompe l'oeil · optical illusion · sleight of hand · smoke and mirrors
sly
Cleverly deceptive
underhanded · clandestine · secretive · shifty · slippery · two-faced · backstabbing · double-dealing · treacherous · duplicitous
conniving
Secretly planning wrongdoing
- schemingCrafty and calculating
- calculatingColdly self-serving in strategy
- cunningSly, scheming cleverness
exploitative · coercive · controlling · insidious · gaslighting · guilt-tripping · persuasion · influence · brainwashing · propaganda
misrepresent
Depict inaccurately or falsely
disinform · exaggerate · understate · overstate · spin · half-truth · equivocate · obfuscate · prevaricate · fallacious
- cunningcunning, craftiness, crafty, guile, slyness
- deceptionlie, lies, lying, fake, fraud
- lie detectionpolygraph, lie detector, polygraph test, polygraph tests, truth serum
- approachesapproach, approaches, method, methods, way
- authenticityauthentic, genuine, real, fake, counterfeit
- illusionsmirage, optical illusion, hallucination, illusion, afterimage
deceptivehonest
Free from deception
truthful · sincere · genuine · trustworthy · forthright
deceptivetransparent
Allowing light through
open · frank · candid · straightforward · direct
- deceptive practicesDishonest methods to mislead
- deceptive advertisingDishonest product claims
- deceptive pricingDishonest cost presentation
- deceptive marketingPromotional dishonesty toward buyers
- deceptive adsMarketing that misleads buyers
- deceptive appearanceMisleading outward presentation
deception, deceptively, deceptions, deceptiveness, deceptive advertising