decoy

Meaning

Noun

1. A person or object meant to lure somebody into danger.
2. A real or fake animal used by hunters to lure game.
3. Deceptive military device used to draw enemy attention or fire away from a more important target.
4. An assembly of hooped or netted corridors into which wild ducks may be enticed (originally by tame ducks) and trapped.

Verb

1. (transitive) To lead into danger by artifice; to lure into a net or snare; to entrap.
2. (intransitive) To act as, or use, a decoy.

Synonyms

lure

bait

entice

allure

deception

cheating

trick

fraud

deceit

cheat

canard

enticement

inducement

attract

seduce

snare

steerer

tempt

allurement

trap

🪤

deceive

inveigle

stool pigeon

shill

mislead

beguile

persuade

sop

stall

stool

swindle

temptation

tout

train

🚋

wile

animal food

fake buyer

decoy-bird

decoy-duck

attract by deceptive means

bargaining chip

false target

phantom target

abduction

tantalise tantalize

appeal to

barker

beckon

blandish

blarney

Translations

señuelo

leurre

Lockvogel

appât

attirer

hile

xirrandin

δόλωμα

lêb

qîle

ködern

xapandin

hîle

esca

xap

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ˈdiːkɔɪ/

Etymology

From Dutch de + kooi, literally "the cage". Possibly related to verb coy (which itself may have been influenced by decoy).