1. a person or thing used to lure someone or something into a trap
2. an artificial bird or other animal used by hunters to attract real animals

1. to lure or entice someone or something into a trap or dangerous situation

Examples

• The police used an undercover officer as a decoy to catch the thief.
• Hunters placed wooden duck decoys on the pond.
• The fake store was a decoy to catch shoplifters.
• They tried to decoy the enemy into an ambush.
• The bright colors were meant to decoy predators away from the nest.
• He used a decoy email address to protect his privacy.
• The plastic owl served as a decoy to scare away smaller birds.