What does hoodwinked mean?
“Hoodwinked” means deceived or tricked, especially when someone has been kept from seeing the truth or from understanding what is really happening. It suggests concealment, manipulation, or deliberate misdirection rather than an innocent mistake. The phrase “hoodwink someone into doing something” is especially common and highlights a situation in which a person is persuaded to act without fully realizing the consequences. Although the verb also has an older, now unusual meaning of blinding someone by covering their eyes, its dominant modern use is figurative. The word is somewhat formal and literary, so “deceived” or “tricked” may be preferable in ordinary conversation. Even so, “hoodwinked” is memorable because it conveys not merely being wrong or confused, but being deliberately prevented from seeing reality clearly.
To deceive or trick someone, especially by concealing the truth or preventing them from seeing what is happening.
"The salesman hoodwinked customers into buying worthless insurance policies."
Common in formal and literary prose; “hoodwink someone into something” is a frequent construction.
To blindfold someone or cover their eyes.
"The captors hoodwinked the prisoner before leading him away."
This sense is archaic or literary and is rare in modern everyday usage.
To be hoodwinked is to be kept in the dark—literally enough for the word’s image to evoke a blindfold, even though the modern sense is figurative.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does hoodwinked come from?
The word combines “hood” with “wink,” both elements of an earlier expression meaning to cover the eyes and blind someone. By extension, “hoodwink” came to mean deceiving or misleading a person, with the image of keeping someone’s eyes covered suggesting ignorance of the truth. The development of the verb’s figurative sense occurred before the modern form “hoodwinked” became established. The expression is historically associated with the idea of concealment and trickery rather than ordinary error.
Related word forms
How hoodwinked is actually used
The word is formal to moderately literary and carries a strong connotation of deliberate deception. The more unusual sense “to blindfold” is now largely confined to older or literary contexts.
Easily confused with hoodwinked
“Hoodwink” is the base form from which “hoodwinked” is formed; both mean to deceive or trick someone.
“Hoodwink” implies deliberate deception, whereas “bewilder” can mean merely to confuse someone without implying dishonest intent.