THE IDIOM COLLECTION LEARN & PRACTISE
Pull the wool over someone’s eyes
Understand the meaning. See it in context. Make it yours.
01 / UNDERSTAND
Meaning in plain English
To deceive someone so that they do not discover the truth.
02 / SEE IT IN CONTEXT
The expression in a sentence
- The fictional seller tried to pull the wool over the buyer’s eyes by hiding the broken part.
03 / CHECK YOUR UNDERSTANDING
Quick idiom quiz
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Can you recall the expression?
Which expression from this lesson matches this meaning?
To deceive someone so that they do not discover the truth.
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Pull the wool over someone’s eyes — To deceive someone so that they do not discover the truth.
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Make it yours
Write one sentence using “Pull the wool over someone’s eyes” about your own life.
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Does your sentence match this meaning?
To deceive someone so that they do not discover the truth.
Compare: The fictional seller tried to pull the wool over the buyer’s eyes by hiding the broken part.
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More ways to understand and use it
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When to use it
Use it conversationally when someone deliberately hides or misrepresents the truth. It is accusatory, so distinguish deception from an honest mistake.
More examples in context
- You cannot pull the wool over my eyes with a different label on the same damaged box.
- The story’s villain pulled the wool over everyone’s eyes until the missing records were found.
Usage note
Match someone’s to the deceived person: my eyes, her eyes or their eyes. The idiom implies intentional deception, not simply a misunderstanding.
A short conversation
A: Why did the buyer ask for a closer inspection?
B: She thought the seller was trying to pull the wool over her eyes about the damage.
A: Checking the condition directly was sensible.
One more practice question
Which action pulls the wool over someone’s eyes?
A. Openly pointing out the damage before a buyer decides.
B. Deliberately disguising damage to prevent a buyer discovering it.
Check your answer
B. The action intentionally conceals the truth.
Related lessons
Meaning and usage checked against Cambridge Dictionary. Explanations, examples and conversation are original.