decoy
/dɪˈkɔɪ/
noun
- A person or thing used to trick someone into doing something or going somewhere, especially to trap or attack them.
- The spy acted as a decoy to lead the guards away from the secret entrance.
- The hunters placed a wooden duck decoy on the lake to attract real ducks.
- The police used a fake wallet as a decoy to catch the thief.
- A fake animal or bird used by hunters to attract real animals or birds.
- He set up a decoy goose in the field before sunrise.
- My grandfather carved his own duck decoys out of wood.
- The decoy looked so real that a flock of birds landed right next to it.
verb
- To trick someone into doing something or going somewhere, especially by using a person or thing that seems attractive or harmless.
- The website decoyed users into clicking a fake link by offering a free prize.
- She decoyed the enemy soldiers into the swamp, where they got stuck.
- The thieves decoyed the security guard away from the door by setting off a false alarm.