What does deceptive mean?
Word: Deceptive
Part of Speech: Adjective
Meaning: Deceptive means giving a wrong idea of what something is really like, so that it fools you.
Synonyms: misleading, false, tricky
Antonyms: honest
How do you spell deceptive?
Syllables: de - cep - tive
Tricky part: The c sounds like s because an e follows it, just as in deceive.
Watch out for: deseptive, diceptive, desceptive
Memory tip: Deceive and deceptive belong to one family: both begin d-e-c, and both are about being fooled.
Idioms and Phrases
- appearances can be deceptive: Things or people are not always what they seem from the outside. Example: "The little shop looked plain, but appearances can be deceptive: it sold the best samosas in town."
Deceptive in a sentence
Example 1: The calm sea was deceptive, because strong currents ran under it.
Example 2: That shortcut is deceptive; it looks quicker but takes longer.
Example 3: A chameleon's colours are deceptive and help it hide from birds.
Fun Fact
Some insects survive by deceptive looks. The hoverfly has yellow and black stripes like a wasp, but it cannot sting.
Practise the CREST Way
Word Connection
Choose the antonym of the word:
deceptive
a) genuine
b) sly
c) cunning
d) fake
Show answer
a) genuine. A sly, cunning or fake thing tries to fool you, as deceptive things do; something genuine is exactly what it seems.
Word Cookie
Insert the correct pair of letters to form a word:
dece_t_ve
a) p, a
b) b, i
c) p, i
d) p, e
Show answer
c) p, i. Say de-cep-tive: a p closes the middle beat, and the vowel in the last beat is i.
Spell-o-Spell
Choose the incorrectly spelt word:
a) mysterious
b) deceptiv
c) suspicious
d) careless
Show answer
b) deceptiv. Words ending in a v sound take an e after the v, as in active and give.
Mingle-Mangle
Form a meaningful word from the jumbled letters:
ietdceepv
a) receptive
b) deceptive
c) defective
d) perceptive
Show answer
b) deceptive. There is a d and a p but no r or f: receptive and perceptive need an r, and defective an f.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. Why might a toy snake be called deceptive?
a) it is very long
b) it looks real but is not
c) it is made of rubber
d) it is very cheap
Show answer
b) it looks real but is not
2. Which seller is being deceptive?
a) one who writes every price clearly
b) one who gives the correct change
c) one who points out the crack in a pot
d) one who hides the crack in a pot
Show answer
d) one who hides the crack in a pot
