liːd ˌsʌmwʌn daʊn ðə ˈɡɑːrdn pæθ
Travel
informal
advanced
- Literally:
- to guide someone along a path through a garden
What does "lead someone down the garden path" mean?
to deceive or mislead someone
Examples
- The salesman led us down the garden path with promises of huge returns.
- Don't be led down the garden path by flashy advertising.
- She felt she had been led down the garden path when the job turned out to be nothing like described.
Origin
Likely originated in the early 20th century. First recorded around 1925.
How to use it
Implies deliberate deception over time. More common in British English.
Similar expressions
pull the wool over someone's eyes
string someone along
Opposites
be upfront with
be honest with
Related idioms
- hit the road
To leave or depart on a journey
- in the same boat
In the same difficult situation as someone else
- miss the boat
To miss an opportunity
- go the extra mile
to make more effort than is expected or required
- a long way to go
much more work or progress is needed before completion
- that ship has sailed
The opportunity has passed
Use it in a practice answer
Try "lead someone down the garden path" in a CELPIP-style Speaking or Writing task. The AI feedback tells you whether your word choice worked.