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Glite Dictionary
to befool

to befool

9.9
To trick someone so they look silly
  • verb
  • /bɪˈfuːl/
translation icon : engañar
  • Many advertisements befool consumers by making false claims about their products.

So the Damos manages to befool itself through the particularity of its actual existence.

Examples

  • So the Damos manages to befool itself through the particularity of its actual existence.

    Gregory B. Sadler - That Philosophy Guy

  • Immense money is made by companies by selling products that are befooling people in the name of natural products.

    Blog text (14)

  • The kitchen filled with sunlight as I stood there, silenced, befooled.

    Fiction book (1994)

  • The magician was able to befool the audience with his clever tricks.

  • She used a fake lottery ticket to befool her friends into thinking they had won.

Synonyms

to lie
vsto befool
∞ 1.3

To say something that is not true to trick someone

is focused on making the listener look silly as a result of believing the falsehood
to fool
vsto befool
704 2.1

To trick someone into believing something that is not true

adds the goal of making the person look silly, not only belief change
to trick
vsto befool
326 3.5

To make someone believe something false so you can get what you want

targets making someone seem silly rather than only gaining advantage
to deceive
vsto befool
270 3.9

To make someone believe something that is not true to get an advantage

is narrower, stressing the goal of making someone seem silly rather than gain
to dupe
vsto befool
58 6.4

To trick someone into believing something false

is mainly about making the person seem silly as an effect of belief
to take in
vsto befool
  • Informal
23 4.3

Make someone believe something that is not true

is concerned with causing the person to seem silly after belief
to put on
vsto befool
  • Informal
19 7.2

To trick someone, often as a joke

may instead be used to produce public embarrassment or ridicule
to play tricks
vsto befool
15 3.0

To make someone believe something that is not true as a joke

can also include serious deception aimed at making someone seem silly
to bamboozle
vsto befool
  • Informal
11 8.3

To trick someone by pretending you want to help them

is simpler deception aimed at making the person seem silly rather than complex scheming
to chump
vsto befool
  • Slang
8 7.5

To trick someone so they look foolish

is the same action but can occur without others seeing it
to play (someone) for a fool
vsto befool
  • Offensive
7 7.4

Treat someone as stupid to trick or cheat them

may instead focus on making the person seem silly rather than just assuming naivety
to play a trick on
vsto befool
6 2.8

To fool someone as a joke

is broader, covering any deception that makes someone seem silly
to fool everyone
vsto befool
4 3.9

To make all the people believe something that is not true

targets one person to make them seem silly rather than groups
to put one over
vsto befool
  • Informal
4 7.8

To make someone believe something that is not true

focuses on causing someone to appear silly rather than just success
to make a monkey out of
vsto befool
  • Offensive
3 8.4

Make someone look silly in front of other people by tricking or embarrassing them

is a general act of causing someone to seem silly without stressing embarrassment
to spoof
vsto befool
3 6.0

Pretend to be a person or website online to trick people

is focused on making a person look silly rather than producing a fake object
to gull
vsto befool
1 8.9

To trick someone into believing something false

focuses on causing public embarrassment or silliness as result of the cheat
to fob
vsto befool
  • Informal
1 9.4

To trick someone into accepting something false or less valuable

is about causing the person to seem silly rather than losing value in trade
to flim-flam
vsto befool
  • Archaic
1 9.5

To trick someone by using clever talk

aims at making the target look silly rather than simply using slick speech
to play false
vsto befool
1 8.1

To trick someone who trusts you by hiding your real plans to get something for yourself

is about making the person appear silly after the motive is revealed
to cod
vsto befool
  • UK
8.8

To trick someone as a joke

is general deception that makes the victim seem silly beyond jokes
to put one across
vsto befool
  • UK
9.0

Make someone believe something false to trick them

aims to show the person looks silly rather than just persuading them
to con someone
vsto befool
  • Slang
7.7

To trick someone to get their money

aims to make the victim look silly rather than only to profit
to do someone a lemon
vsto befool
  • UK
9.9

Trick someone so they end up worse off

is specifically about making them seem silly rather than only disadvantaging them

Antonyms

to inform
∞ 1.0

To tell someone about a fact or situation

to enlighten
55 4.8

To give someone clear information to help them understand something

How Deceived

to swindle
20 5.5
to con
  • Informal
61 7.3
to trick
326 3.5
to deceive
270 3.9
to befool
9.9
to mislead
87 3.9

Surface Forms

befool infinitive
befooled past
befooled past participle
befooling present participle
befools third person singular

Morphology

befool = fool (transparent) = be + fool

The prefix 'be-' is used to form verbs meaning 'to make' or 'to cause to be', which is clear in the context of 'befool'.

Etymology

Befool comes from the prefix be- meaning 'make' or 'cause' and the word fool, meaning 'a silly person'. So, to befool someone is to 'make' them look foolish or to trick them.