What is the meaning of the word deceptively

de·cep·tive·ly

 (dĭ-sĕp′tĭv-lē)

adv.

In a deceptive or deceiving manner.

Usage Note: When deceptively is used to modify an adjective, the meaning can be unclear. Does the sentence The pool is deceptively shallow mean that the pool is shallower or deeper than it appears? Is it apparently shallow, but not really, or is it actually shallow but only looks deep? Thus, a deceptively complex person might be either complex or simple, depending on the point of view. The meaning of deceptively is thus very dependent upon the context, and writers should be careful to ensure that the word cannot be misinterpreted or avoid it entirely.

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.

Translations

بِخِداع، بصورَةٍ مُضَلِّلَه

falešnězdánlivě

bedrageriskvildledende

megtévesztően

á villandi hátt; meira en maîur heldur

aldatıcı

Collins Spanish Dictionary — Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

deceptively

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995

deception

(diˈsepʃən) noun

(an act of) deceiving. Deception is difficult in these circumstances.

deˈceptive (-tiv) adjective

deceiving; misleading. Appearances may be deceptive.

deˈceptively adjective

She is deceptively shy.

Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary © 2006-2013 K Dictionaries Ltd.


Asked by: Devyn Medhurst III

Score: 4.6/5
(7 votes)

Meaning of deceptively in English

She writes with extraordinary clarity and makes it look deceptively easy. His voice was deceptively innocent, and she was led right into the trap. Conditions ahead of the storm were deceptively calm. With a deceptively strong arm she shoved him aside.

What is the meaning of deceptively simple?

in a way that is deceptive (= making you believe something that is not true): The plan seemed deceptively simple (= it seemed simple but was not).

What is deceptively small?

So applying that to this case: «deceptively small» means that it is small in a deceptive way; while from where I see it, she would describe it more correctly as «they are big in a deceptive way» because she stuff them to look like they are BIG to deceive.

What does deceptively shallow mean?

In a deceptive or deceiving manner. Usage Note: When deceptively is used to modify an adjective, the meaning can be unclear. Does the sentence The pool is deceptively shallow mean that the pool is shallower or deeper than it appears?

How do you use deceptive in a sentence?

Deceptive sentence example

  1. He was good at deceptive conversation – too good. …
  2. Damian knew better than to trust the deceptive appearance of this type of creature. …
  3. Damian and Eden were closer, his deceptive display of relaxed power causing the air to hum with even more magic.

34 related questions found

Is deception and lying the same?

Lying is a form of deception, but not all forms of deception are lies. Lying is giving some information while believing it to be untrue, intending to deceive by doing so. A lie has three essential features: … The liar intends to deceive or mislead.

What is an example of deception?

Deception is defined as an untrue falsehood, or is the act of lying to or tricking someone. An example of deception is when you tell someone you are 30 when really you are 40.

What is the meaning of deceptively difficult?

Deceptively is an adjective to the noun hard. » The last boss was deceptively hard» means the last boss was hard, but did not appear to be so. It was hard, deceptively so. Not so. Something being deceptively anything means it is less of that thing than it appears.

Is deceivingly a word?

de·ceiv′a·ble adj. de·ceiv′er n. de·ceiv′ing·ly adv. These verbs mean to cause someone to believe something untrue, usually with an ulterior motive in mind.

What is contritely mean?

: feeling or showing sorrow and remorse for a sin or shortcoming a contrite criminal a contrite apology contrite sighs.

What can deception lead to?

Deception is a major relational transgression that often leads to feelings of betrayal and distrust between relational partners. Deception violates relational rules and is considered to be a negative violation of expectations. … It also forms a vital part of psychological warfare in denial and deception.

What does it mean if something is moot?

The meaning of ‘moot’ is a moot point – whichever variety of English you speak. … Later a moot point, initially a legal issue, became used more widely to mean one that was open to argument, debatable or uncertain.

Is it deceiving or deceptive?

The related noun deception refers to the act or practice of deceiving or being deceptive. Being deceptive doesn’t just involve lying. It can consist of misrepresenting or omitting the truth or more complicated cover-ups. Anything that involves intentionally misleading someone is deceptive.

What is the full meaning of mediocrity?

: the quality of something that is not very good : the quality or state of being mediocre. : a person who does not have the special ability to do something well.

What is an act of deception?

1a : the act of causing someone to accept as true or valid what is false or invalid : the act of deceiving resorting to falsehood and deception used deception to leak the classified information. b : the fact or condition of being deceived the deception of his audience.

What does duplicitous mean in English?

Duplicity comes from a Latin word meaning «double» or «twofold,» and its original meaning in English has to do with a kind of deception in which you intentionally hide your true feelings or intentions behind false words or actions.

How do you spell deceivingly?

de·ceiv·ing·ly.

What is the meaning of being deceived?

1 : to cause to believe what is not true : mislead His lies deceived me. 2 : to be dishonest and misleading Appearances can deceive. deceive. verb.

What does deceivingly big mean?

UK /dɪˈseptɪvli/ DEFINITIONS1. used for saying that something is different from how it appears. The house looks deceptively small from the outside (=but really it is big).

Is deceptively an adjective or adverb?

A: The word “deceptively” means “in a deceptive manner, so as to deceive,” according to the Oxford English Dictionary. And as it turns out, it’s a very deceptive adverb when used to modify an adjective.

What are signs of deception?

Suspects and witnesses often reveal more than they intend through their choices of words. Here are ways to detect possible deception in written and oral statements.

  • Lack of self-reference. …
  • Verb tense. …
  • Answering questions with questions. …
  • Equivocation. …
  • Oaths. …
  • Euphemisms. …
  • Alluding to actions. …
  • Lack of Detail.

What are the 3 different types of deception?

A story of self-deception, a story about deceiving others, and a story about accidental deception.

What is an example of deceitful behavior?

Things described as deceitful include attempts to mislead or trick someone or trap them with a deceptive scheme. Being deceitful always involves deceiving someone, but it may not involve outright lying. Some forms of deceit involve concealing the truth or simply omitting the truth.

What are the 4 types of lies?

There are four types of lie that can be characterized by naming them with four colors: Gray, White, Black and Red.

Is lying in bed correct?

Hi! Mary Lying in bed is correct. Both “laying” and “lying” are the present participles of the verbs “lay” and “lie.” “Lay” is a transitive verb that refers to putting something in a horizontal position, while“lie” is an intransitive verb that refers to being in a flat position.

  • 1
    deceptively

    НБАРС > deceptively

  • 2
    deceptively

    Англо-русский синонимический словарь > deceptively

  • 3
    deceptively

    adv обманчиво

    Синонимический ряд:

    1. allegedly (other) allegedly; basely; ostensibly; professedly; slyly; supposedly; under a pretext; under false pretense

    2. misleadingly (other) beguilingly; deceivingly; deludingly; delusively; fallaciously; falsely; misleadingly

    English-Russian base dictionary > deceptively

  • 4
    deceptively

    Большой англо-русский и русско-английский словарь > deceptively

  • 5
    deceptively

    Универсальный англо-русский словарь > deceptively

  • 6
    deceptively

    Англо-русский большой универсальный переводческий словарь > deceptively

  • 7
    deceptively

    (n) обманчиво

    * * *

    * * *

    * * *

    обманчиво

    Новый англо-русский словарь > deceptively

  • 8
    deceptively

    Англо-русский современный словарь > deceptively

  • 9
    deceptively

    English-Russian smart dictionary > deceptively

  • 10
    deceptively misdescriptive trademark

    Универсальный англо-русский словарь > deceptively misdescriptive trademark

  • 11
    he has a deceptively quiet manner

    Универсальный англо-русский словарь > he has a deceptively quiet manner

  • 12
    allegedly

    adv по утверждению; как утверждают; будто бы, якобы

    Синонимический ряд:

    professedly (other) basely; deceptively; falsely; ostensibly; pretendedly; professedly; purportedly; slyly; supposedly; under a pretext; under false pretense

    English-Russian base dictionary > allegedly

  • 13
    basely

    adv низко; подло; бесчестно

    Синонимический ряд:

    1. allegedly (other) allegedly; deceptively; falsely; ostensibly; professedly; slyly; supposedly; under a pretext; under false pretense

    2. cheaply (other) cheaply; commonly; meanly; poorly; shoddily; sleazily

    3. despicably (other) despicably; humbly; ignobly; lowly; plebeianly; servilely; sordidly; squalidly; uglily; vilely; wretchedly

    English-Russian base dictionary > basely

  • 14
    falsely

    1. adv ложно, ошибочно

    2. adv фальшиво, притворно; лживо, вероломно

    Синонимический ряд:

    2. erroneously (other) erroneously; inaccurately; incorrectly; speciously; unsoundly; untruly; wrongly

    3. faithlessly (other) disloyally; faithlessly; perfidiously; traitorously; treacherously; unfaithfully

    4. misleadingly (other) beguilingly; deceivingly; deceptively; deludingly; delusively; fallaciously; misleadingly

    English-Russian base dictionary > falsely

  • 15
    professedly

    1. adv явно, открыто; по собственному признанию

    2. adv якобы, под предлогом; мнимо

    Синонимический ряд:

    1. allegedly (other) allegedly; basely; deceptively; falsely; slyly; supposedly; under a pretext; under false pretense

    2. ostensibly (other) apparently; evidently; officially; ostensibly; outwardly; seemingly

    English-Russian base dictionary > professedly

См. также в других словарях:

  • deceptively — 1. • His voice was deceptively innocent, and she was led right into the trap E. Rees, 1992. Was his voice innocent or not? The answer seems to be that the appearance was of innocence whereas the reality was of something more sinister, and… …   Modern English usage

  • deceptively — ► ADVERB 1) to a lesser extent than appears the case. 2) to a greater extent than appears the case. USAGE Beware of confusion when using deceptively, as it can mean both one thing and also its complete opposite. A deceptively smooth surface is… …   English terms dictionary

  • Deceptively — De*cep tive*ly, adv. In a manner to deceive. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • deceptively — adverb 1》 to a lesser extent than appears the case: the idea was deceptively simple. 2》 to a greater extent than appears the case: the airy and deceptively spacious lounge. Usage Deceptively can be used in similar contexts to mean both one thing… …   English new terms dictionary

  • deceptively — de·cep·tive·ly (dĭ sĕpʹtĭv lē) adv. In a deceptive or deceiving manner; so as to deceive.   Usage Note: When deceptively is used to modify an adjective, the meaning is often unclear. Does the sentence The pool is deceptively shallow mean that the …   Universalium

  • deceptively — adv. Deceptively is used with these adjectives: ↑casual, ↑easy, ↑gentle, ↑innocent, ↑mild, ↑simple, ↑smooth, ↑spacious, ↑steep, ↑straightforward …   Collocations dictionary

  • deceptively — de|cep|tive|ly [ dı septıvli ] adverb used for saying that something is different from how it appears: The house looks deceptively small from the outside (=but really it is big) …   Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

  • deceptively — UK [dɪˈseptɪvlɪ] / US adverb used for saying that something is different from how it appears The house looks deceptively small from the outside (= but really it is big) …   English dictionary

  • deceptively — adverb in a misleading way (Freq. 1) the exam looked deceptively easy • Syn: ↑deceivingly, ↑misleadingly • Derived from adjective: ↑misleading (for: ↑misleadingly) …   Useful english dictionary

  • deceptively — adverb see deceptive …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • deceptively — adverb In a deceptive manner …   Wiktionary

English[edit]

Etymology[edit]

deceptive +‎ -ly

Pronunciation[edit]

  • (UK) IPA(key): /dɪˈsɛptɪvli/

Adverb[edit]

deceptively (comparative more deceptively, superlative most deceptively)

  1. In a deceptive manner; misleadingly.
    • 2010, Australian Law Dictionarydeceptively similar, Oxford Reference
      A trade mark is deceptively similar to another trade mark if it so nearly resembles that other trade mark that it is likely to deceive or cause confusion
    • February 10 2006, Dorian Lynskey, “Readers recommend: joyous songs”, in The Guardian[1]:

      those deceptively jaunty tunes that mask less-than- cheerful lyrics

  2. Actually but not apparently.
    • February 12 2015, Alison Spiegel, “Deceptively Easy Valentine’s Day Recipes”, in HuffPost[2]:

      We’ve rounded up 26 recipes that sound, look and taste difficult but are actually really easy. … try one of these deceptively easy but wildly impressive recipes.

    • 2015 September 3, Frances O’Rourke, “‘Deceptively spacious’ fits the bill in Dalkey for €1.575m”, in The Irish Times[3]:

      The “deceptively spacious” cliche is accurate in the case of this house near the corner of Castlepark Road and Hyde Road: from the front, it looks like a traditional 1930s home. But the current owners, who moved here 23 years ago, have extended it three times since then; now, with two levels at the back, it has 346sq m (3,725sq ft) of space.

    • 2018 May 7, Phil Harrison, “Monday’s best TV: Genderquake”, in The Guardian[4]:

      what seems like a complex situation is actually deceptively simple

    • 2020 November 9, Adrian Horton, “A Teacher review – intriguing yet incomplete drama about grooming”, in The Guardian[5]:

      Over 20-25 minute episodes, A Teacher shows us what should seem to be a transparent case of grooming: Claire (Kate Mara), a quiet, deceptively self-destructive new high school English teacher in Austin, Texas, and her 17-year-old student-turned-lover, Eric (Love Simon’s Nick Robinson).

  3. Apparently but not actually.
    • 1968 October 29, Leonard P. Moore, Bertino v. Polish Ocean Line, 402 F.2d 963, 866 (2 Cir. 1968)

      The trial court found that the crewman who had spread the sawdust over the oil had made the situation more dangerous by creating a deceptively safe condition, resulting in a «trap» and an unseaworthy condition.

    • 2020 December 27, Steve Nadis, “After Centuries, a Simple Math Problem Gets an Exact Solution”, in Wired[6]:

      Mathematicians have long pondered a deceptively easy puzzle about the reach of a goat tied to a fence. Until now, they’ve only found approximate answers.

Usage notes[edit]

Senses 2 and 3 are opposite and it may be impossible to infer from the context which sense is intended in a given case.

Derived terms[edit]

  • deceptively misdescriptive

Translations[edit]

The simple definition of deceptively is in a deceptive way, but in actual use the adverb is often ambiguous, sometimes meaning in reality but not in appearance and sometimes in appearance but not in reality. Because of the potential confusion, deceptively might be best avoided where its meaning isn’t clear.

For example, if I were to say, “The cat is deceptively friendly,” it could mean either (1) that the cat seems unfriendly but is actually friendly, (2) that the cat seems friendly but is actually unfriendly, or (3) that the cat is friendly in some undescribed deceptive way. So, depending on context and reader interpretation, deceptively has multiple conflicting meanings

But the word is unquestionable when used to mean, literally, in a deceptive way—as in, “The deceptively edited video portrayed the crook as a philanthropist.”

Examples

Let’s look at some examples of deceptively used in opposing ways. These writers use deceptively to mean in appearance but not in reality (like the cat that seems friendly but is actually unfriendly):

It’s no mystery why images of shocking, unremitting violence spring to mind when one hears the deceptively simple term, “D-Day.” [Life]

The French are certainly fond of Allen, who opened the Cannes Film Festival with this deceptively light, offhandedly profound comedy. [Boulder Weekly]

And in these examples, deceptively means in reality but not in appearance (like the cat that seems unfriendly but is actually friendly):

This breezy but deceptively plot-packed little novel starts and ends placidly in small-town Nebraska. [St. Louis Post-Dispatch]

Beneath the big man’s jolly exterior was a deceptively insecure guy who cared a lot about his legacy. [NESN]

And sometimes, as readers, we just can’t tell what the author means by deceptively—for example:

Hillis is a versatile offensive player and a deceptively good athlete. [Sporting News]

If he is a deceptively good athlete, does that mean he is actually bad? Or does he just seem like a bad athlete? And if so, why is he in the NFL?

Another example:

She’s a visual artist and writer whose work combines photographs, text, and deceptively simple paintings. [The Millions]

Are the paintings simple in appearance but complicated in subtext, or are they complex in appearance but simple in subtext?

To be fair, we should point out that some instances of deceptively are made perfectly clear by context—for example:

Yet, the hollow interior of the wood means that the bike is deceptively light. [Forbes]

From this we can infer that the bike looks heavy but is actually light because of its hollow interior.

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