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engañado

en-ga-NYAH-doh/eŋ.gaˈɲa.ðo/

“engañado” means “deceived” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:

deceived, tricked

Also: misled, fooled
A sad character standing next to a clearly fake, painted backdrop that was supposed to look like a real house, realizing they have been deceived.

📝 In Action

El cliente se sintió engañado por la publicidad falsa.

B1

The client felt deceived by the false advertising.

No seas tan engañado, esa historia no tiene sentido.

B2

Don't be so easily fooled, that story makes no sense.

Mi hermana está engañada sobre el valor de esas acciones.

B1

My sister is misled about the value of those shares.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • estafado (swindled)
  • burlado (mocked/made fun of)

Antonyms

Common Collocations

  • sentirse engañado – to feel deceived
  • vivir engañado – to live in denial

deceived, tricked

A startled character looking disappointed at an empty birdcage, realizing they were tricked into believing there was a bird inside.
infinitiveengañar
gerundengañando
past Participleengañado

📝 In Action

Ellos han engañado al público durante años.

A2

They have deceived the public for years.

Nunca pensé que habría engañado a su propia familia.

B2

I never thought he would have tricked his own family.

Word Connections

Common Collocations

  • había engañado – had deceived (past perfect)
  • hemos engañado – we have deceived (present perfect)

Translate to Spanish

Words that translate to "engañado" in Spanish:

deceived→fooled→misled→tricked→

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: engañado

Question 1 of 2

Which sentence uses 'engañado' as an adjective, meaning its ending must change to agree?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family▼
engañar(to deceive/trick) — Verb
el engaño(the deception/trick) — Noun
engañador(deceiver/tricking (person)) — Adjective / Noun
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼

The word comes from the Late Latin verb *ingannāre*, which meant 'to trick' or 'to mock.' This root suggests the original meaning was tied to making someone look foolish or behaving deceptively.

First recorded: Medieval Spanish

Cognates (Related words)

Portuguese: enganadoCatalan: enganyat

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between 'Ella ha engañado' and 'Ella está engañada'?

'Ella ha engañado' uses the past participle with *haber* and means 'She has tricked (someone else)'. 'Ella está engañada' uses 'engañada' as an adjective with *estar* and means 'She is deceived' (someone else tricked her).

Does 'engañado' only refer to romantic cheating?

No. While it can be used for romantic betrayal, its most general meaning is 'tricked' or 'fooled' by lies, false advertising, bad deals, or general misinformation. The noun *engaño* refers to any form of deception.