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💡 A clever method 🕵️ A deception 🕵️ To deceive 🎩 A magic act 😜 A prank 💵 A client (prostitution) 🃏 A card round 🕒 A work shift
to trick

to trick

289 3.5
To make someone believe something false so you can get what you want
  • verb
  • /trɪk/
: engañar
  • His purpose, the theory goes, was to trick a reluctant United States into the war.
  • trick people
  • trick someone into believing
  • try to trick someone

Well, I was tricked into it, to be honest.

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Examples

  • We're certain that many kids were tricked into revealing a lot of personal information in this scam.

    Academic text (2009)

  • You cannot trick me with your questions.

    Hitler's Children (1943)

  • Like to see if I could trick her into going down my path.

    The 85 South Comedy Show

  • So right now we are about to try and attempt to trick some Best Buy workers.

  • I promise this is the last time I will trick anyone into getting what I want.

    Fly Me to the Moon (2024)

  • What if we trick Vic into meeting up with him?

  • How they use words to trick you into thinking it's legit.

  • You accomplish what you trick your brain into believing you can accomplish.

    The Boost (1988)

  • I tricked her.

    Waterloo Bridge (1931)

  • The magician managed to trick the audience with his amazing illusions.

Synonyms

to fool
vsto trick
545 2.1

To trick someone into believing something that is not true

is more about using cunning to gain advantage rather than simple false belief
to cheat
vsto trick
502 1.2

To act dishonestly to gain an unfair advantage

is more about deceptive cunning methods rather than general rule-breaking
to deceive
vsto trick
229 3.9

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

relies on cunning or secretive methods to secure advantage
to bluff
vsto trick
106 5.6

To try to trick someone by showing false strength

uses cunning to gain advantage rather than showing false strength or confidence
to con
vsto trick
  • Informal
81 7.3

To trick someone into giving their money or things

is not limited to taking possessions and can use other cunning methods
to play tricks
vsto trick
58 3.0

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

focuses on gaining advantage, not playful or harmless mischief
to pull a fast one
vsto trick
  • Informal
12 8.3

To trick someone in a clever way so they do not notice

is similar but stresses speed and slyness rather than long planning
to bamboozle
vsto trick
  • Informal
12 8.3

To trick someone by pretending you want to help them

relies on cunning broadly, not always on elaborate plots or friendly pretense
to hoodwink
vsto trick
11 7.4

To make someone believe something that is not true

focuses on gaining advantage through secretive or cunning actions
to play a trick on
vsto trick
11 2.8

To fool someone as a joke

is about obtaining advantage rather than creating amusement
to play a joke on
vsto trick
  • Informal
9 3.2

To trick someone in a friendly way to make them laugh

is used mainly for gain, not for playful laughter or fun
to spoof
vsto trick
8 6.0

Pretend to be a person or website online to trick people

uses cunning in various ways, not limited to imitation or faking
to play (someone) for a fool
vsto trick
  • Offensive
8 7.4

Treat someone as stupid to trick or cheat them

is broader, not limited to targeting naive people for gain
to pull a fast one on
vsto trick
  • Informal
6 8.1

To trick someone to gain an advantage

is similar but often implies a short sudden deceptive act
to put one over
vsto trick
  • Informal
4 7.8

To make someone believe something that is not true

is about gaining advantage through cunning rather than mere success for jest
to decoy
vsto trick
3 6.1

To trick someone into a trap or danger

is more general, covering many forms of cunning beyond setting a bait
to fox
vsto trick
3 8.1

To trick someone by being clever to gain advantage

focuses on gaining advantage through cunning rather than general misleading
to fob
vsto trick
  • Informal
3 9.4

To trick someone into accepting something false or less valuable

focuses on gaining advantage broadly, not only getting poor goods accepted
to flim-flam
vsto trick
  • Archaic
3 9.5

To trick someone by using clever talk

is broader, covering many forms of cunning beyond smooth talk alone
to hoax
vsto trick
2 4.5

To trick people into believing something false

typically aims to gain advantage or benefit rather than to amuse
to play false
vsto trick
2 8.1

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

uses cunning or deceitful methods beyond mere pretense of goodwill
to hornswoggle
vsto trick
  • Archaic
1 9.9

To trick someone to take their money or things

is similar but emphasizes cunning actions rather than the informal label
to con someone
vsto trick
  • Slang
1 7.7

To trick someone to get their money

is broader, covering many ways to gain advantage not only taking goods
to put one past
vsto trick
  • UK
8.3

To trick someone into believing something false

is broader, not tied to success alone but to intent and methods
to bluff one's way through
vsto trick
  • Informal
7.4

Succeed in a difficult situation by pretending to know what you are doing

is focused on gaining advantage, not only surviving a situation by pretense

Idioms

to do the trick
  • Informal
87 3.7

To get the result you want

trick in the book
  • Informal
14 4.3

A clever or dishonest way people use to get something they want

every trick in the book
  • Informal
5 4.6

All possible methods someone uses to get something, often using clever or dishonest actions

to turn a trick
  • NSFW
2 9.9

To have sex with a customer for money

trick in one's hip pocket
  • Informal
8.2

A secret plan kept to use later when you need it

trick up (one's) sleeve
  • Informal
6.5

A secret plan kept to use as a surprise when needed

Phrasal Verbs

to trick out
  • Informal
11 7.4

To make something like a car or outfit look very fancy by adding bright decorations

to play a trick on
11 2.8

To fool someone as a joke

to trick up
  • Informal
1 7.2

To make someone or something look fancier to impress people

Compounds

trick or treat
  • Baby Talk
107 2.5

An activity where children go from house to house asking for sweets on Halloween

magic trick
44 2.7

A performance that looks impossible and surprises people

trick question
22 5.3

A question that tries to confuse you with a surprising answer

card trick
14 2.8

A trick that uses playing cards to entertain people

dirty trick
12 4.9

An unfair action meant to harm or cheat someone

hat trick
11 3.7

Three scores by one player in the same game, for example three goals

parlour trick
  • UK
11 6.7

A simple magic trick to amuse people at a small party

one-trick pony
  • Offensive
5 6.0

A person or thing with only one skill

Jedi mind trick
  • Informal
4 8.7

A clever, hidden way to persuade someone by making them think or feel differently

mean trick
  • Informal
2 5.4

An action that hurts or deceives someone on purpose

conjuring trick
1 4.9

A magic trick that seems to break natural rules to surprise and amuse people

confidence trick
1 6.6

A dishonest plan to gain someone's trust and then take their money or things

How Deceptive

to defraud
  • Formal
38 6.9
to con
  • Informal
81 7.3
to trick
289 3.5
to mislead
152 3.9

Surface Forms

trick infinitive
tricked past
tricked past participle
tricking present participle
tricks third person singular

Etymology

Trick as a verb means to perform a deceptive 'move' on someone, which is just doing a trick to mislead them. So to trick someone is to fool them by using a clever or false action.