ENGLISH DICTIONARY

Decoy

Definition, Meaning & Examples

Pronunciation /ˈdiːkɔɪ/ · Part of speech noun

Quick meaning: Decoy is a noun meaning A person or object meant to lure somebody into danger.

Meaning

A person or object meant to lure somebody into danger.

More Meanings

  1. A real or fake animal used by hunters to lure game.
  2. Deceptive military device used to draw enemy attention or fire away from a more important target.
  3. An assembly of hooped or netted corridors into which wild ducks may be enticed (originally by tame ducks) and trapped.
  4. (transitive) To lead into danger by artifice; to lure into a net or snare; to entrap.
  5. (intransitive) To act as, or use, a decoy.

Example Sentences

to decoy troops into an ambush; to decoy ducks into a net
E'en while fashion's brightest arts decoy, / The heart, distrusting, asks if this be joy.
As they were being decoyed, the rescue team carried the hostage and quietly slipped away.
2002, Robotech: Battlecry – Guide and Walkthrough Just every 5 seconds or so shoot out a decoy near the Cats Eye and the enemies will aim for that instead of the Cats Eye.

Word Forms

Synonyms for decoy

Depending on context, synonyms include bait, lure.

Related Words

Related dictionary entries include lure, bait, diversion, lie, stunt, trick.

Related Dictionary Tools

Sources & Attribution

FreeDictionaryAPI.com / Wiktionary · Original source · CC BY-SA 4.0

Dictionary data is provided by FreeDictionaryAPI.com and sourced from Wiktionary under its stated license.