misguide

verb

mis·​guide ˌmis-ˈgīd 

misguided; misguiding; misguides

transitive verb

: to lead astray : misdirect

prejudice misguides our minds

misguider noun

Synonyms

• bamboozle
• beguile
• bluff
• buffalo
• burn
• catch
• con
• cozen
• deceive
• delude
• dupe
• fake out
• fool
• gaff
• gammon
• gull
• have
• have on [chiefly British]
• hoax
• hoodwink
• hornswoggle
• humbug
• juggle
• misinform
• mislead
• snooker
• snow
• spoof
• string along
• suck in
• sucker
• take in
• trick

Examples of misguide in a Sentence

we were misguided by the flashy advertisements for what turned out to be pretty lousy pizza

Recent Examples on the Web

The idea that teens as young as 14 will be able to replace the labor of migrant workers, which is often difficult and dangerous, is misguided at best. —Georgia Christakis, Sun Sentinel, 8 Apr. 2025

Will O’Neill, chair of the Republican Party of Orange County, called the protests misguided. —Hanna Kang, Oc Register, 3 Apr. 2025

But it would be misguided to begrudge the show its creative license, and specifically its refusal to fixate on the bureaucratic nightmare that is being gravely ill in America, when so many of its enormous swings connect. —Judy Berman, Time, 27 Mar. 2025

The sense that one misguided, selfish, or just flat-out reckless decision is enough to set you on a path of no return feels essential to this season of Dark Winds, which expands its cast to serve that idea. —Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 10 Mar. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for misguide

• abide
• allied
• applied
• aside
• astride
• azide
• backside
• bankside
• bastide
• bayside
• bedside
• belied

Kids Definition

misguide

verb

mis·​guide (ˈ)mis-ˈgīd 

: to lead astray : mislead

misguidance

-ˈgīd-ᵊn(t)s

noun