decoy 1 of 2

noun

ˈdē-ˌkȯi How to pronounce decoy (audio)
Definition of decoynext
as in bait
something used to attract animals to a hook or into a trap we set the decoy afloat in the marsh and from the blind waited for the ducks to arrive

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

decoy

2 of 2

verb

di-ˈkȯi How to pronounce decoy (audio)
as in to lure
to lead away from a usual or proper course by offering some pleasure or advantage tacky souvenir shops to which first-time tourists had been decoyed into spending their hard-earned money

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb decoy differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of decoy are entice, inveigle, lure, seduce, and tempt. While all these words mean "to lead astray from one's true course," decoy implies a luring into entrapment by artifice.

attempting to decoy the enemy into an ambush

Where would entice be a reasonable alternative to decoy?

The meanings of entice and decoy largely overlap; however, entice suggests drawing by artful or adroit means.

advertising designed to entice new customers

When might inveigle be a better fit than decoy?

The words inveigle and decoy are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, inveigle implies enticing by cajoling or flattering.

fund-raisers inveigling wealthy alumni

When would lure be a good substitute for decoy?

In some situations, the words lure and decoy are roughly equivalent. However, lure implies a drawing into danger, evil, or difficulty through attracting and deceiving.

lured naive investors with get-rich-quick schemes

When could seduce be used to replace decoy?

The words seduce and decoy can be used in similar contexts, but seduce implies a leading astray by persuasion or false promises.

seduced by assurances of assistance

When is tempt a more appropriate choice than decoy?

The synonyms tempt and decoy are sometimes interchangeable, but tempt implies the presenting of an attraction so strong that it overcomes the restraints of conscience or better judgment.

tempted by the offer of money

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of decoy
Noun
Russia on Sunday fired a total of 273 exploding drones and decoys targeting Ukraine’s Kyiv, Dnipropetrovsk and Donetsk regions, Ukraine’s air force said. —Giada Zampano, Chicago Tribune, 18 May 2025 Accompanied by a detective, the baby’s father, August, brought a decoy envelope to a street corner chosen for the ransom drop. —Mara Bovsun, New York Daily News, 3 May 2025
Verb
Russian forces fired 103 Shahed and decoy drones at five Ukrainian regions overnight, Ukraine's air force reported. —Arkansas Online, 26 Apr. 2025 The Ukrainian air force said Russia fired 54 Shahed and decoy drones at Ukraine overnight, marking a resumption of long-range attacks that have blasted civilian areas and sown terror. —Illia Novikov, Los Angeles Times, 22 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for decoy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for decoy
  1. bait
  2. lure
  3. tempt
  4. seduce
  5. entice
  6. persuade
Noun
  • If Payton wants to cut bait, Jim Leonhard is waiting in the wings.
    — Sean Keeler, Denver Post, 1 June 2025
  • Guidry falls for the bait, Bill is arrested, and the detective ends the story as the sisters’ flatly ethical pawn.
    — Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 29 May 2025
Definition of bait
Verb
  • The company recently ended its incentive program, known as customer commitment packages, to lure and maintain customers on the heels of the incident.
    — Samantha Subin, CNBC, 4 June 2025
  • The result is that homes are sitting idle on the market, forcing sellers to offer price cuts to lure in buyers.
    — Giulia Carbonaro, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 June 2025
Definition of lure
Verb
  • There was interest from the Saudi Pro League last summer, and clubs may be tempted to try again.
    — Jay Harris, New York Times, 29 May 2025
  • To design the space, interior designer Laura Gonzalez was tasked with reimagining One Wall Street into a shopping experience luxurious enough to tempt shoppers down to the Financial District.
    — Sarah Wood González, Vogue, 27 May 2025
Definition of tempt
Verb
  • Going even further, its materiality, terra-cotta, and its iconography, the corazón, seduce us to discover an even more seductive identity, a cultural and historical foundation, mexicanidad.
    — Benjamin H. D. Buchloh, Artforum, 1 June 2025
  • But prosecutors warned observers not to be seduced by soft appearances.
    — Thomas Adamson, Chicago Tribune, 23 May 2025
Definition of seduce
Verb
  • The Navy also has spent considerably more than the others to entice sailors to reenlist, doling out retention bonuses to roughly 70,000 service members for each of the past three years.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 26 May 2025
  • Duffy recently announced a sweeping program to upgrade the agency's technology infrastructure, as well as hiring incentives to entice more would-be air traffic controllers.
    — Zach Wichter, USA Today, 23 May 2025
Definition of entice
Verb
  • Jonathan Ernst | Reuters European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen managed to persuade the president to give talks more time but, as things stand, the EU has until July 9 to reach a deal with Washington.
    — Holly Ellyatt, CNBC, 6 June 2025
  • Be on alert for phishing scams – Fraudsters regularly send emails that appear to be from a reputable source in order to persuade individuals to provide valuable personal information, such as access codes, credit card numbers, Social Security numbers, account numbers, etc.
    — Rick Unser, Forbes.com, 5 June 2025
Definition of persuade

Browse Nearby Words

decoupling
decoy
decoyed
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Decoy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/decoy. Accessed 10 Jun. 2025.

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More from Merriam-Webster on decoy

Nglish: Translation of decoy for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about decoy

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