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Glite Dictionary
🕵️ A trap helper 🦆 A fake animal 🎣 To lure
to decoy

to decoy

3 6.1
To trick someone into a trap or danger
  • verb
  • /ˈdiːkɔɪ/
translation icon : engañar
  • The detective set up a meeting to decoy the suspect into revealing information.
  • decoying ducks
  • decoying geese
  • decoyed the press away

Examples

Synonyms

to trick
vsto decoy
326 3.5

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

relies on a false object to attract instead of general deceit
to deceive
vsto decoy
270 3.9

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

centres on attracting someone with a false object rather than lying broadly
to con
vsto decoy
  • Informal
61 7.3

To trick someone into giving their money or things

focuses on drawing a target with a false object rather than theft
to sucker
vsto decoy
  • Informal
26 6.0

To trick someone into doing something

uses a false object to lure action rather than mere persuasion
to bait
vsto decoy
18 3.2

To use something to lure a person, animal or fish into a trap

focuses on using a false object to lure targets
to hoodwink
vsto decoy
11 7.4

To make someone believe something that is not true

depends on a false object to lure rather than clever surprise
to bamboozle
vsto decoy
  • Informal
11 8.3

To trick someone by pretending you want to help them

uses a simple false object to lure rather than complex scheming
to entrap
vsto decoy
8 7.2

To catch a person or animal by tricking them so they cannot escape

focuses on luring via a false object rather than general capture
to put one over
vsto decoy
  • Informal
4 7.8

To make someone believe something that is not true

involves attracting someone with a false object rather than mere trick success
to con someone
vsto decoy
  • Slang
7.7

To trick someone to get their money

uses a false object to attract victims rather than direct exploitation
to put one past
vsto decoy
  • UK
8.3

To trick someone into believing something false

relies on a false object to draw attention rather than passing a lie

Compounds

decoy-duck
6.5

A fake duck made of wood or plastic that hunters use to attract real ducks

How Deceptive

trap
752 2.0
to decoy
3 6.1
to lure
270 3.7
to entice
61 4.9
to attract
991 1.9

Surface Forms

decoy infinitive
decoyed past
decoyed past participle
decoying present participle
decoys third person singular

Etymology

Decoy comes from the old Dutch phrase de kooy, which means 'the cage' and named places used to trap ducks. So to decoy someone is like 'leading them into a cage', which explains the verb meaning 'to lure into a trap'.