deceptively
Americanadverb
-
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.
-
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
Etymology
Origin of deceptively
First recorded in 1810–20; deceptive ( def. ) + -ly ( def. )
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
But where its cinematic peers get snared by trying to elucidate the truth of the pop star, Lowery’s film skates past the conventions and trappings, landing on something high-concept but deceptively straightforward.
From Salon • Apr. 24, 2026
Even though Monte Vista Point is deceptively chill, it is still remarkably exclusive.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 21, 2026
"They rely on highly personalised phishing emails, automatically generated malware, and synthetic identities that appear deceptively real," he said.
From Barron's • Mar. 25, 2026
“Her ability to deceptively influence others, whether in person or online, has now come to an end. Our office is committed to holding accountable anyone who uses deception and manipulation to prey on others.”
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 24, 2026
Despite Oomen’s knobby build, he was deceptively strong—farm strong like Jesper.
From "Six of Crows" by Leigh Bardugo
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
