deceptively

[dih-sep-tiv-lee]

adverb

1. in a way that tends to mislead or give a false impression.

   This game is played with such deceptively simple materials, yet is so interestingly complex!

   Some of these harmful foods are deceptively marketed as "healthy" by giant food corporations.

2. in a way that is perceptually misleading.

   If only a segment of sky is visible, the bands of Earth’s shadow and the Belt of Venus appear deceptively parallel.

Other Word Forms

• nondeceptively adverb
• undeceptively adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of deceptively¹

First recorded in 1810–20; deceptive ( def. ) + -ly ( def. )

Example Sentences

The way it works is deceptively simple: Touch your phone to the Brick, and it blocks a you-defined list of apps.

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Yes, they looked prosperous and, deceptively, as if they both had their entire lives ahead of them.

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Most mental health interventions start with a provider verbally asking a deceptively simple question: What are you feeling?

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Now the “existential” climate risk bandwagon is coming to an end for the deceptively simple reason known as “running out of other people’s money.”

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Activists argued that they had deceptively promoted gas and biofuels as clean energy.

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Related Words

• ably 
• adroitly 
• artfully www.thesaurus.com
• carefully 
• cleverly www.thesaurus.com
• coolly www.thesaurus.com
• deftly 
• deliberately 
• intelligently www.thesaurus.com
• judiciously 
• keenly 
• knowingly www.thesaurus.com
• skillfully www.thesaurus.com
• slyly 
• smartly