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Definition of hoodwink

hoodwink

/ˈhʊd.wɪŋk/
hood · wink
Past Simple:hoodwinked
•
Past Participle:hoodwinked
•
Present Participle:hoodwinking
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hoodwink Lexical Profile

hoodwink Game Scores & Validity

• verb

1

To deceive, trick, or delude someone, often by disguising the truth.

Example

"The con artist managed to hoodwink several investors into buying worthless shares."

2

To cover the eyes of someone or something with a hood or blindfold (archaic).

Example

"The falconer would hoodwink the hawk to keep it calm before the hunt."

Synonyms
View all synonyms for hoodwink
Antonyms
View all antonyms for hoodwink

• Nearby Words

hoodless
hoodlum
hoodlumish
hoodwink
hooey
hoof
hoofbeat

Word Origin & Etymology

Coined in the mid-16th century from 'hood' and 'wink' (in the older sense of closing the eyes), originally meaning to blindfold someone by covering their head with a hood.

Usage Trend

Historical frequency of usage in published text.

180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Hoodwink. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/hoodwink
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