pull the wool over someone's eyes

verb

To deceive someone.

Similar
bamboozlesnowhoodwinklead by the noseplay false
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Meanings

verbpull the wool over someone's eyes (third-person singular simple present pulls the wool over someone's eyes, present participle pulling the wool over someone's eyes, simple past and past participle pulled the wool over someone's eyes)

present singular third person pulls the wool over someone's eyes · participle present pulling the wool over someone's eyes · participle past pulled the wool over someone's eyes · past pulled the wool over someone's eyes · alternative pull wool over someone's eyes

  1. idiomaticinformalTo deceive someone.

Synonyms & antonyms

verbconceal one's true motives from especially by elaborately feigning good intentions so as to gain an end

Similar
bamboozlesnowhoodwinklead by the noseplay false
Broader
deceivebetraylead astray
Also see
bamboozlehoodwinklead by the nosesnowtrick

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Translations

French rouler dans la farine
  • rouler dans la farineto deceive someone
German hinters Licht führen
  • hinters Licht führento deceive someone
Hungarian megtéveszt, félrevezet
  • megtévesztto deceive someone
  • félrevezetto deceive someone
  • becsapto deceive someone
  • bepalizto deceive someone
  • behúz a csőbeto deceive someone
  • átverto deceive someone
  • rászedto deceive someone
Italian gettare fumo negli occhi
  • gettare fumo negli occhito deceive someone
Polish mydlić oczy
  • mydlić oczyto deceive someone
Portuguese enganar, enrolar
  • enganarto deceive someone
  • enrolarto deceive someone
  • embromarto deceive someone
Russian втирать очки́
  • втирать очки́ (vtiratʹ očkí)to deceive someone
Spanish dársela con queso
  • dársela con quesoto deceive someone
Cite this entry
APA

pull the wool over someone's eyes. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/pull%20the%20wool%20over%20someone's%20eyes

MLA

“pull the wool over someone's eyes.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/pull%20the%20wool%20over%20someone's%20eyes. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “pull the wool over someone's eyes,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/pull%20the%20wool%20over%20someone's%20eyes.

Source: pull the wool over someone's eyes on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.