hoodwink

[ hood-wingk ]

verb (used with object)

1. to deceive or trick.

   Synonyms: gyp, swindle, cheat, dupe

2. Archaic. to blindfold.
3. Obsolete. to cover or hide.

hoodwink

/ ˈhʊdˌwɪŋk /

verb

1. to dupe; trick
2. obsolete.
   to cover or hide

Derived Forms

• ˈhoodˌwinker, noun

Other Word Forms

• hood·wink·a·ble adjective
• hood·wink·er noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of hoodwink¹

First recorded in 1555–65; hood ¹ + wink ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of hoodwink¹

C16: originally, to cover the eyes with a hood, blindfold

Example Sentences

I was hoodwinked in a similar way to the British-Ghanaian teenager who recently took his parents to the High Court in London for sending him to school in Ghana.

From BBC

It soon became apparent that my name and image were being used by scammers to try to hoodwink people out of money.

From BBC

“Not only is it good for the economy and good for our communities, but it's much, much less likely that you're going to be hoodwinked.”

From Salon

Mulvaney even bragged about hoodwinking Trump into violating his promise not to cut Social Security by telling him the cuts would be in “disability insurance” without revealing that disability insurance is part of Social Security.

From Los Angeles Times

Wolff also encouraged social critics to not be hoodwinked by "simple-minded arguments" that attempt to turn people off from all left-wing politics through generic vilification of bureaucrats.

From Salon

Related Words

• bamboozle
• bilk
• defraud
• dupe
• mislead
• swindle
• victimize