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noun

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smokescreen - A distraction or false front used to mislead or deceive others.

The flashy website and ad campaign turned out to be a smokescreen so people would be distracted from paying attention to the company's declining sales.

noun

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gimmick - A trick or device intended to attract attention, publicity, or business

Sales promotions like "buy one, get one free" are a common marketing gimmick.

verb

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dupe - Deceive; trick

Edwin knew his agent wanted to dupe him by having him sign a bad contract.

verb

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delude - To mislead someone into believing something that is not true

The cult's leader deluded his followers into believing he knew the path to Heaven, but it was really the path to Hell.

noun

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charade - An act or event that is clearly false

Bill told Samantha that he wanted to get married, but she suspected that he didn't mean it, and that the dating was just a charade.

noun

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hypocrisy - Behavior that is the opposite of how one actually is, being fake by pretending to be one thing, and acting in the opposite way.

The politician was guilty of hypocrisy because he promised reforms, but his real goal was to enrich himself and his friends.

noun

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hype - Extravagant or intensive publicity or promotion, that often turns out to be false

Todd spread the hype that his party was going to be the event of the year, but only a few people showed up.

verb

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fib - Tell an unimportant lie

Pinocchio's nose would always indicate when he was fibbing.

verb

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connive - To secretly allow (something considered immoral, illegal, wrong, or harmful) to occur

Stewie would connive ways in which to gain power, though he usually failed.

noun

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imposter - A person who pretends to be someone else in order to deceive others, especially for fraudulent gain

The man on the phone who was asking for money sounded like Emily's friend, but she thought he was probably an imposter.

verb

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foist - To Impose an unwelcome situation on someone.

Barry didn't really want Steve to stay over, but Steve claimed he had no other place to stay, so Steve managed to foist himself on Barry because of Barry's natural good nature.

adjective

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phony - Not genuine; fraudulent

To someone with an untrained eye, it can be hard to tell a phony handbag from a real one.