deke
Americanverb (used with object)
noun
noun
verb
Etymology
Origin of deke
First recorded in 1955–60; originally a Canadian English shortening of decoy
Explanation
A good deke fakes out your opponent — like a tricky move that fools a goalie into thinking you're going to hit an ice hockey puck one way, but then you go the other! The word deke originated in ice hockey, but it's since spread into many other sports. In football, a quarterback might deke by mimicking the motion of throwing the ball in one direction, but then instead throwing it in another. A good deke misdirects an opponent, getting them to commit to moving to the wrong spot. The word deke is used as both a noun and a verb: You can deke ("fake out") an opponent with a clever deke ("a fake-out").
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.
See Examples For:
She pulled off a ridiculous deke, flipped the puck toward the goal and—gold.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 23, 2026
McMichael went for a multiple deke move, which Daccord made a sprawling stop on but couldn’t corral the rebound.
From Seattle Times ● Jan. 11, 2024
Byfield extended the Kings’ lead to 3-0 at 1:17 of the second period, and Fiala made it 4-0 at 2:56 when he made a clever deke and sliced through the slot alone.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 24, 2023
Chicago’s Elizabeth Williams fell for the deke, Griner absorbed the contact and hit the shot to begin a three-point play.
From Washington Times ● May 21, 2023
Fogg made one more deke to beat the goalkeeper, then delivered the decisive tally in an 8-7 overtime win at Gator Field in Bethesda.
From Washington Post ● Apr. 27, 2023
He deked his way past Warren Foegele and sent a wrist shot through traffic that beat goalie Darcy Kuemper through the legs for his 24th goal this season.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 8, 2026
Except he somehow escaped, deked another would-be tackler and then dragged yet another one over the line to gain a critical first down.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 13, 2025
At 1:16 of the third period, Hartman intercepted Martin Fehervary’s point shot and went on the breakaway, where he deked to his backhand to beat Darcy Kuemper and make it 2-2 to force overtime.
From Washington Times ● Oct. 27, 2023
Tyler Seguin raced by Oleksiak and deked Will Borgen to go in alone, but Grubauer stopped him.
From Seattle Times ● May 15, 2023
When the Kings switched big men on to him, Curry deked past the slower-footed defenders to coast in for layups.
From Washington Post ● Apr. 30, 2023
The next most outstanding play was probably Alex Wennberg faking a shot, racing around defender Jake McCabe and deking out the goalie in Chicago three weeks ago for an eventual game-winning goal.
From Seattle Times ● Apr. 26, 2022
Garland made it 4-1 less than two minutes into the third period, deking Lehner with a nifty move and slipping it between the goalie's pads.
From Fox News ● Jan. 23, 2021
Wheeler finished off a saucer pass from left winger Kyle Connor and deking Devan Dubnyk from in close.
From Reuters ● Oct. 21, 2017
Winnik poked the puck up ice to himself and around Travis Hamonic as the defenseman fell down before deking and beating Greiss 7:46 into the second.
From Washington Times ● Oct. 15, 2016
I threw my arms wide and hissed back at her, then pelted through the lobby, hopping over a leather sofa and deking around a potted plant, making her chase me.
From Little Brother by Cory Doctorow
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.
