deceptively

deceptively — adverb

1. used before an adjective to show that the quality described is opposite to what

1.副詞B2
釋義

used before an adjective to show that the quality described is opposite to what the surface appearance suggests — a room described as deceptively small may actually be large, and a task that appears deceptively easy may turn out to be difficult or complex

例句

The instructions looked deceptively simple at first, but Noor needed weeks to get them right.

deceptively + adjective — the opposite of the surface impression

Their rental cabin was deceptively spacious, with hidden compartments that doubled the living area.

deceptively + adjective — more than outward appearance suggests

同義詞
  • misleadingly

    focuses on the false impression rather than the size/direction of the gap between appearance and reality

  • seemingly

    softer and more neutral — describes the surface appearance without necessarily implying a contradiction

反義詞
  • unsurprisingly

    describes something that matches expectations rather than contradicting them

用法筆記

Deceptively is a 'Janus-faced' adverb: it can signal either 'less than appearance suggests' (deceptively easy = actually hard to do) or 'more than appearance suggests' (deceptively spacious = actually larger inside). The quality it describes is always the opposite of what the adjective alone would imply — the context and the adjective's natural connotation resolve which direction the deception goes.

常見錯誤

❌The suitcase is deceptively light' (meaning it IS light but looks heavy).
✅The suitcase is deceptively light
💡it looks heavy but lifts like a feather.' — Deceptively + adjective usually signals the OPPOSITE of what the adjective states; the intended meaning becomes clear from context.