pull the wool over your eyes
Meaning
To deceive someone so they don’t notice the truth; to trick or mislead.
Origin
Often linked to 18th-century Britain, when men wore wool wigs. Pulling a wig (or its “wool”) down over someone’s eyes would block their vision, becoming a metaphor for fooling or obscuring the truth.
Notes
Common idiom meaning to deceive or mislead, often implying the target is being kept from seeing the truth. Can sound accusatory or critical.
Examples
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Don’t let the salesman pull the wool over your eyes with fancy jargon.
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She tried to pull the wool over my eyes about why she was late, but her story didn’t add up.
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The company pulled the wool over investors’ eyes by hiding its mounting debts.
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I thought the deal was real, but it turned out he was pulling the wool over my eyes.
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If something feels too good to be true, someone may be trying to pull the wool over your eyes.
Grammar & Usage Notes
Fixed phrase: pull the wool over someone’s eyes. Pronouns/possessives change (my/your/his/her/their). Tense can change (pulled/has been pulling). Often used with “try to” or in negative: “You can’t pull the wool over my eyes.”
Synonyms
- deceive
- trick
- mislead
- dupe
- con
Antonyms
- be upfront
- tell the truth
- come clean