noun
decoy
DEE-koy
noun
1
A person, object, or fake animal used to lure someone or something into a trap or into danger.
"The duck decoys floated realistically on the pond to attract real birds."
"Police used an unmarked car as a decoy to catch the speeding driver."
verb
1
To lure someone into danger or a trap through trickery.
"The soldiers decoyed the enemy patrol away from the main camp."
How to Use Decoy
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA fake lure or a trick used to draw attention or danger away from the real target.
Common pairings
duck decoy
used as a decoy
decoy target
Word Forms
decoyed past tense, decoys plural, decoys singular
Study it as flashcards or scroll it in Flow — saved to your collection.
Test yourself on “decoy”
A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage
→
Fill the Gap
Can you complete this real example?
The duck _____ floated realistically on the pond to attract real birds.
Etymology
From Dutch de kooi, literally "the cage," possibly linked to the word "coy."