misinterpret

verb

mis·​in·​ter·​pret ˌmi-sᵊn-ˈtər-prət How to pronounce misinterpret (audio)
-pət
misinterpreted; misinterpreting; misinterprets

transitive verb

1
: to explain wrongly
His comment on the speech misinterprets the speaker's meaning.
2
: to understand wrongly
Her silence should not be misinterpreted as consent.

Examples of misinterpret in a Sentence

He claims that his statements have been misinterpreted by the media. Her silence should not be misinterpreted as consent.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
But many bishops said the distinction was too subtle, too easily misinterpreted, too prone to be exploited by the liberal forces at the Church’s gates. Austen Ivereigh, Time, 21 Apr. 2025 Even after matching, users often get ghosted, misinterpret what the other person wants or have mismatched expectations, leaving those looking for love frustrated and burnt out. Alyssa Goldberg, USA Today, 18 Apr. 2025 Product managers may misinterpret insights, leading to poor decisions, while engineers might struggle with biases and model limitations, making AI unreliable. Nishant Satya Lakshmikanth, Forbes.com, 16 Apr. 2025 Theroux recalled how the film’s legacy has endured, for better or worse, and at times, has been misinterpreted. Samantha Bergeson, IndieWire, 14 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for misinterpret

Word History

First Known Use

1547, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of misinterpret was in 1547

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Cite this Entry

“Misinterpret.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/misinterpret. Accessed 24 Apr. 2025.

Kids Definition

misinterpret

verb
mis·​in·​ter·​pret ˌmis-ᵊn-ˈtər-prət How to pronounce misinterpret (audio)
-pət
: to understand or explain wrongly
misinterpretation noun

More from Merriam-Webster on misinterpret

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