EN

Synonyms for decoy

  • verb
  • noun

Most common

snare mislead entrap ensnare entice inveigle

All synonyms

Verb

entrap, snare, ensnare, allure, mislead, entice, hook, attract, seduce, tempt, inveigle, cajole

Noun

1. Bait

bait, lure, enticement, temptation, allurement

Other

red herring, steerer

Definitions

  1. v. 1

    To lead into danger by artifice; to lure into a net or snare; to entrap.

    to decoy troops into an ambush; to decoy ducks into a net

  2. n. 1

    A person or object meant to lure somebody into danger.

Related words

Word family
decoy-duck
Phrases
duck decoy

Forms

Plural
decoys → baits, lures, enticements, temptations…
Past participle
decoyed
e.g. decoyed → entrapped, snared, ensnared, allured…

Choose the right word

Decoy or Cajole?

Cajole and decoy carry the idea of deceiving and ensnaring.

J. C. Fernald, English Synonyms and Antonyms (1914)

Example sentences

  • snare I have been living like a wolf trapped in a snare.
  • mislead He did everything he could to mislead the police.
  • entrap The cops were trying to entrap Tom.
  • ensnare The car dealer tried to ensnare me in extra options.
  • entice He hopes to entice her into doing what he wants.
  • inveigle Larsen tried to inveigle me into discussion.

Popularity over time

Word1850 → 2019Trend
decoyrising
snarerising
misleadsteady
entraprising
ensnarerising
enticerising

Use in printed books, per decade from 1850 to 2019.

By length

4 letters
hook1, bait1, lure1
5 letters
snare1, tempt1
6 letters
seduce2, allure2, entice2, entrap2, cajole2
7 letters
attract2, mislead2, ensnare2, steerer
8 letters
inveigle
10 letters
temptation3, enticement3, allurement

The small number after each word is its number of syllables (seduce2 = 2 syllables).