deceptive

/di'septiv/

Thân thiện

The calm before the storm is often deceptive.

Definition

Adjective 1. Intended to make someone believe something that is not true; giving a false impression. This describes something that is designed to trick, mislead, or create a mistaken belief, whether on purpose or by accident. 2. Causing one to believe what is not true or to fail to believe what is true. This emphasizes the misleading effect on the person perceiving the deceptive thing.

Usage and Examples

The adjective deceptive is used to describe appearances, actions, feelings, or information that are not what they seem.

• Describing appearances:

  • The pond had a deceptive calm; beneath the surface, the current was strong.
  • The product's deceptive packaging made it look much larger than it actually was.

• Describing actions or practices:

  • The company was fined for its deceptive advertising claims.
  • He used deceptive tactics to win the negotiation.

• Describing feelings or impressions:

  • The initial simplicity of the puzzle was deceptive; it was actually very complex.
  • She felt a deceptive sense of security.

Advanced Usage

• "Deceptively" (adverb): Used to modify an adjective in a way that indicates the true nature is opposite to the initial impression.
  • The room was deceptively spacious. (It looked small but was actually spacious.)
  • The task was deceptively simple. (It looked simple but was actually difficult.)

Variants and Related Words

• Deceive (verb): To make someone believe something that is not true.
  • He tried to deceive me about the cost.
• Deception (noun): The act of deceiving someone or the state of being deceived.
  • The magician's act was based on clever deception.
• Deceit (noun): Dishonest behavior that is intended to trick someone.
  • Their relationship was built on lies and deceit.

Synonyms

• Misleading: Giving the wrong idea or impression.
• Illusory: Based on illusion; not real.
• Delusory: Tending to delude or mislead.
• Fallacious: Based on a mistaken belief.
• Specious: Superficially plausible, but actually wrong.

Antonyms

• Genuine
• Authentic
• Honest
• Straightforward
• Transparent

Idioms and Common Phrases

• Appearances can be deceptive. (A common saying meaning that the way something looks may not reflect its true nature.)
  • The old house looked run-down, but remember, appearances can be deceptive; it's very well-built inside.

Học thuật

Adjective

1. designed to deceive or mislead either deliberately or inadvertently
   • the deceptive calm in the eye of the storm
   • deliberately deceptive packaging
   • a misleading similarity
   • statistics can be presented in ways that are misleading
   • shoddy business practices
2. causing one to believe what is not true or fail to believe what is true
   • deceptive calm
   • a delusory pleasure

Từ đồng nghĩa

• misleading
• shoddy
• delusory