deceive
verb (used with object)
to mislead by a false appearance or statement; delude.
were deceiving
-
past progressiveof deceive.past progressive
Used to describe an ongoing action or continuous state that was happening at a specific time in the past.
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.
Investors returning from the Labor Day break could be forgiven for wondering if their eyes were deceiving them, but yes, futures on the Dow Jones Industrial Average were significantly worse than the S&P 500.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 8, 2026
Mayorkas, on his second day of a visit to the Rio Grande Valley, said smugglers were deceiving migrants and luring them on a dangerous journey.
From Seattle Times ● May 5, 2023
Wes Craven, the director, looked preppy, wearing Ralph Lauren and chinos, but looks were deceiving as he had a visionary mind.
From The Guardian ● Sep. 23, 2019
The Federal Trade Commission also has rules on these practices and could determine that the calls were deceiving for consumers.
From The Verge ● Feb. 28, 2019
Unless Harry’s eyes were deceiving him, Fudge was suddenly looking awkward.
From "Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban" by J.K. Rowling
