deceptive
gb/dɪsˈɛptɪv/ us/dɪsˈɛptɪv/
B2
Англійська
Значення
0 значень
adjective
B2
property
1
giving a false impression
making you think something is true when it is not
Модель уживання:
[something] is deceptive
Поширена помилка:
Learners often use deceptive for people; it is very common for things (appearance, results, impressions) too.
Синоніми
misleading (More common and neutral; focuses on causing the wrong belief.)
|
false (Stronger and more direct; can suggest simply untrue rather than tricking.)
|
deceptive-looking (Used specifically about appearance.)
Антоніми
accurate (Gives a correct impression of reality.)
|
straightforward (Easy to understand; not likely to mislead.)
|
clear (Not confusing or misleading in effect.)
Словосполучення
deceptive appearance
|deceptive image
|deceptive impression
|deceptive smile
|deceptive calm
|deceptive packaging
|deceptive simplicity
|deceptive clarity
|deceptive surface
|deceptive picture
Теми
communication
|daily_life
Приклади
- The map is deceptive—it makes the walk look much shorter than it is.
- His friendly smile was deceptive and hid his irritation.
- The room looks bright, but the lighting is deceptive in photos.
Навчальні приклади
- The label is deceptive.
- The results are deceptive.
adjective
C1
property
2
intended to trick others
made to trick people on purpose
Модель уживання:
deceptive [tactics/practices/claims/advertising]
Поширена помилка:
Don’t confuse with 'deceiving' (participle). 'Deceptive' describes a thing or action as having a misleading effect or purpose.
Синоніми
deceitful (Often used for people, but can also describe actions; very close in meaning.)
|
fraudulent (Stronger; suggests illegality or formal fraud.)
|
dishonest (Broader moral judgment; not limited to tricking.)
Антоніми
truthful (Intended to communicate what is true.)
|
honest (Not designed to trick or cheat.)
|
transparent (Open and easy to understand; not hiding key facts.)
Словосполучення
deceptive tactics
|deceptive practices
|deceptive behavior
|deceptive claims
|deceptive advertising
|deceptive marketing
|deceptive message
|deceptive scheme
|deceptive email
|deceptive contract terms
Теми
business
|law
|communication
Приклади
- The company was fined for deceptive advertising.
- He used deceptive tactics to get access to private data.
- The email looked official, but it was a deceptive attempt to steal passwords.
Навчальні приклади
- That ad is deceptive.
- They used deceptive tactics.
adjective
C1
property
3
dishonest and untrustworthy
not honest; trying to trick people
Модель уживання:
a deceptive [person/man/woman/partner/politician]
Поширена помилка:
In everyday English, 'deceitful' is slightly more common than 'deceptive' for describing a person.
Синоніми
deceitful (The most direct synonym for a person who lies or tricks.)
|
duplicitous (More formal; suggests pretending while hiding different intentions.)
|
two-faced (Informal; emphasizes seeming friendly while acting against someone.)
Антоніми
trustworthy (Can be relied on to tell the truth.)
|
honest (Does not lie or mislead.)
|
sincere (Not pretending; genuine in feelings or intentions.)
Словосполучення
deceptive person
|deceptive partner
|deceptive politician
|deceptive salesman
|deceptive witness
|deceptive character
|deceptive colleague
|deceptive behavior
|deceptive manner
|deceptive nature
Теми
people
|relationships
|ethics
Приклади
- I realized he was deceptive when his story kept changing.
- She can be charming, but she’s also deceptive and hard to trust.
- He seemed open at first, but his deceptive answers raised suspicion.
Навчальні приклади
- He is deceptive.
- I don’t trust deceptive people.
adjective
C1
property
4
not reliable as evidence
making you understand the facts wrongly
Модель уживання:
deceptive [statistics/figures/results/symptoms]
Поширена помилка:
Learners may overuse 'wrong' or 'false'; 'deceptive' highlights the risk of drawing the wrong conclusion.
Синоніми
unreliable (Focuses on not being dependable, not necessarily on causing a false impression.)
|
misleading (Very close; common when describing information or evidence.)
|
unrepresentative (Often used for data that does not reflect the real whole.)
Антоніми
reliable (Can be trusted to be correct.)
|
representative (Accurately reflects the larger situation or group.)
|
informative (Helps you understand the true situation.)
Словосполучення
deceptive statistics
|deceptive figures
|deceptive numbers
|deceptive results
|deceptive data
|deceptive test results
|deceptive symptoms
|deceptive evidence
|deceptive signs
|deceptive averages
Теми
education
|science
|business
Приклади
- The average is deceptive because a few extremely high salaries raise it.
- Early test results can be deceptive and should be confirmed later.
- The symptoms were deceptive and pointed to the wrong diagnosis at first.
Навчальні приклади
- These numbers are deceptive.
- The results can be deceptive.
adjective
C1
property
5
skillfully hard to read
good at making others guess wrong
Модель уживання:
a deceptive [move/pass/pitch/serve]
Поширена помилка:
In sports contexts, 'deceptive' can be positive (skillful), not only negative (dishonest).
Синоніми
tricky (More informal; can mean cleverly difficult or misleading.)
|
cunning (Emphasizes clever strategy; can sound morally negative.)
|
sly (Suggests cleverness with a hint of dishonesty.)
Антоніми
obvious (Easy to see or predict.)
|
readable (Easy for an opponent to anticipate (sports).)
|
predictable (Easy to guess in advance.)
Словосполучення
deceptive move
|deceptive pass
|deceptive shot
|deceptive serve
|deceptive pitch
|deceptive footwork
|deceptive feint
|deceptive rhythm
|deceptive player
|deceptive magician
Теми
sports
|games
|performance
Приклади
- Her deceptive serve looked slow but kicked up sharply at the last moment.
- The striker made a deceptive run that pulled the defenders out of position.
- He’s a deceptive player—his body language often sends opponents the wrong way.
Навчальні приклади
- He made a deceptive move.
- Her serve is deceptive.
Граматика
Словникова форма
deceptive
IPA
GB/dɪsˈɛptɪv/
US/dɪsˈɛptɪv/
Склади й наголос
de - cept - ive (3 склади)
Stress on 2nd syllable (cept)
Форми слова
Adjective
- Base: deceptive
Споріднені слова
Вирази
deceptive advertising
1/dɪsˈɛptɪv ˈædvɚtˌaɪzɪŋ/
fixed phrase
business
ads that mislead people
advertising that tricks people
Приклади
- The brand faced complaints over deceptive advertising.
- Regulators investigated the company for deceptive advertising practices.
- She said the before-and-after photos were deceptive advertising.
deceptive trade practices
1/dɪsˈɛptɪv tɹˈeɪd pɹˈæktɪsɪz/
fixed phrase
legal
misleading business practices
business actions that trick customers
Приклади
- The lawsuit alleges deceptive trade practices.
- The agency issued new rules to prevent deceptive trade practices.
- Customers accused the retailer of deceptive trade practices related to hidden fees.
deceptively easy
1/dɪsˈɛptɪvli ˈizi/
fixed phrase
seems easy but isn’t
it looks easy, but it is harder than you think
Приклади
- The first level is deceptively easy, but it gets hard very quickly.
- The exam looked deceptively easy until I started the last section.
- Her warm-up routine is deceptively easy and demands a lot of control.
deceptively quiet
1/dɪsˈɛptɪvli kwˈaɪət/
fixed phrase
seems calm but isn’t
it looks quiet, but there is more going on
Приклади
- The office was deceptively quiet before the deadline hit.
- The sea looked deceptively quiet, but the current was strong.
- He’s deceptively quiet—he notices everything.
deceptively simple
1/dɪsˈɛptɪvli sˈɪmpəl/
fixed phrase
seems simple but isn’t
it looks easy, but it is difficult
Приклади
- The instructions are deceptively simple, but the project takes hours.
- It’s a deceptively simple question that has no easy answer.
- The app has a deceptively simple design with many powerful features.