A feint is a fake move designed to fool an opponent. In fencing, a fighter might thrust their sword toward an opponent's left side, but it's just a feint: the real attack comes from the right. In soccer, a player performs a feint by faking left before darting right past a defender. The whole point is to make someone react to something that isn't really happening, creating an opening for your actual move.

Boxers use feints constantly, jabbing toward an opponent's head to make them raise their guard, then landing the real punch to the body.

You can feint in other situations too. A chess player might threaten one piece as a feint while setting up a real attack elsewhere. Even in conversation, someone might feint by asking about one topic to distract you from another.

What makes a feint different from just lying is its tactical purpose: you're creating a deliberate misdirection to gain an advantage in a competition or conflict. A good feint requires timing, believability, and a real plan for what comes next. Otherwise, you're just making random moves and hoping something works.