How do you use "Hook, line, and sinker" in a sentence?

She fell for his story hook, line, and sinker. They bought the lie hook, line, and sinker. He swallowed it hook, line, and sinker.

Hook, line, and sinker

Q: What does "Hook, line, and sinker" mean?

Completely and totally; entirely deceived. To be completely fooled or deceived—swallowing the lie completely, like a fish swallowing the whole fishing apparatus.

Slang Term BritishAmericanAustralian ★★★★☆ Common Neutral

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Meaning: Completely and totally; entirely deceived.

完全地、彻底地；完全被骗。

Completa y totalmente; completamente engañado.

完全に、すっかり。完全に騙された。

완전히, 통째로; 완전히 속은.

To be completely fooled or deceived—swallowing the lie completely, like a fish swallowing the whole fishing apparatus.

完全被骗——像鱼把钩子、线和铅坠全部吞下去一样，完全相信了谎言。

Ser completamente engañado, tragarse la mentira entera, como un pez que se traga todo el aparejo de pesca.

完全に騙されること。魚が釣り針、糸、おもりを全部飲み込むように、嘘を完全に信じること。

완전히 속거나 기만당한 것—물고기가 낚싯바늘, 줄, 추까지 통째로 삼키는 것에 비유.

Literal meaning: All fishing equipment swallowed

Examples

She fell for his story hook, line, and sinker.
她完全相信了他的故事
Se tragó su historia entera
彼女は彼の話をすっかり信じた
그녀는 그의 이야기를 통째로 믿었다.
They bought the lie hook, line, and sinker.
他们完全相信了那个谎言
Se tragaron la mentira completamente
彼らはその嘘を完全に信じた
그들은 그 거짓말을 완전히 믿어버렸다.
He swallowed it hook, line, and sinker.
他完全上当了
Se lo tragó todo
彼はそれをすっかり鵜呑みにした
그는 그것을 통째로 삼켜버렸다.

Pronunciation

/hʊk laɪn ænd ˈsɪŋkə/

Usage Guide

Context: deception, gullibility, being fooled

Tone: critical, often self-deprecating

✓ Do Say

Fell for it hook, line, and sinker.
完全上当了
Se lo tragó entero
すっかり騙された
완전히 속아 넘어갔다.
Swallowed it hook, line, and sinker.
完全信了
Se lo tragó todo
完全に鵜呑みにした
통째로 삼켜버렸다.
Bought it hook, line, and sinker.
完全相信了
Se lo creyó todo
すっかり信じた
완전히 믿어버렸다.

✗ Don't Say

Completely fooled
Completely fooled（完全被骗）
Completely fooled（Completamente engañado）
Completely fooled（完全に騙された）
완전히 속은
Totally deceived
Totally deceived（完全被欺骗）
Totally deceived（Totalmente engañado）
Totally deceived（完全に欺かれた）
철저히 기만당한

Common Mistakes

Always used as complete phrase
Fishing metaphor

Origin & History

From fishing—a fish that swallows the hook, line, and sinker is completely caught.

Etymology: Fishing metaphor, 19th century

First recorded: Mid 1800s

Cultural Context

Era: 19th century to present

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal

Pop culture: Everyday speech; Con artist stories

Regional notes: Universal English expression.

Variations

Hook, line, and sinkerSwallowed it hook, line and sinker