lead somebody to believe

lead (one) to believe

To cause one to believe something, especially if it is untrue. The sales agent led me to believe I would continue paying the lower price if I signed up for the TV service, but when I got my first bill I learned that wasn't the case. He led us to believe he had a graduate degree in economics. Turns out he didn't even graduate from high school.See also: believe, lead

lead somebody to beˈlieve (that...)

make somebody think something is true, usually wrongly: I was led to believe that I didn’t need a visa to enter the country, and now it appears that I do. ♢ She led me to believe that she was a student, but she wasn’t. OPPOSITE: put/set somebody straight (about/on something)See also: believe, lead, somebody