as in to deceive
to cause to believe what is untrue
Tom Sawyer famously hoodwinked the other boys into thinking there was nothing more enjoyable than whitewashing a fence
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Recent Examples of hoodwink
However, for your sign, money and possessions are where you might be hoodwinked or not realize what’s going on.
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Georgia Nicols, Denver Post, 23 Sep. 2025
But, given the photo was taken a week ago, people raised concerns about a potential attempt to hoodwink the public about the true state of the president's condition.
—Kate Plummer, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Sep. 2025
Approved by voters hoodwinked by false cost estimates, the project was supposed to be operable by 2020 at a cost of $33 billion.
—Editorial, Boston Herald, 31 Aug. 2025
New Yorkers still take pride in not being easily hoodwinked.
—Mark Swed, Los Angeles Times, 29 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for hoodwink
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hoodwink
Verb
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To keep the most vulnerable safe, Ivan has to decide to confront the soldiers or deceive them at the potential cost of his life.—
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Relying Too Much On Garbage Disposals Though the name may be deceiving, garbage disposals aren’t actually designed to dispose of all garbage.—
Verb
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Don't be fooled by an ocean that looks calm.—
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To Newton, the saga was a reminder of how, in the age of increasingly sophisticated and accessible generative AI, anyone online can easily and quickly fool even the most discerning content consumers.—
Verb
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One of the dangers of the Midwestern climate is a late-winter warm spell that thaws the soil and tricks bulbs and other plants into sprouting too early.—
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Ukraine orchestrated a fake hit on one of Russia's enemies who has fought alongside Ukrainian forces, tricking the Kremlin into paying out a $500,000 bounty Kyiv used to fund its war effort.—
Cite this Entry
“Hoodwink.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hoodwink. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
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