Definition, Meaning & Synonyms

lead-someone-up-the-garden-path

idiom

/liːd sʌmbədi ʌp ðə ˈɡɑːrdən pæθ/

Definition

To mislead someone or to cause them to have false expectations.

Examples

She was led up the garden path by the salesperson, who promised unrealistic results.
Don’t lead him up the garden path with false hopes about the promotion.

Meaning

This phrase is often used when someone is given misleading information, which may lead them to believe something that is not true or to expect a different outcome.