mismatch

1 of 2

noun

mis·​match ˈmis-ˌmach 

plural mismatches

: a faulty or unsuitable match

New England plays St. Louis in Super Bowl XXXVI this evening, and on the face of it, this game is a mismatch, a blowout waiting to happen.

—William C. Rhoden

She is blood type O, and the donor heart and lungs she received in the first operation were blood type A. That mismatch triggered rejection by her immune system.

—Dan Vergano

mismatch

2 of 2

verb

mis·​match ˌmis-ˈmach 

mismatched; mismatching

transitive verb

: to match (two people or things) wrongly or unsuitably

Let's say that you are afraid of boring your audience. One cause is mismatching the audience's need and the level of detail you provide.

—Liz Reyer

Examples of mismatch in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

The biggest mismatch of the game is Jackson taking aim at this struggling Steelers secondary, but will the impact of losing the Pro Bowl receiver keep that advantage in check? —Jeff Zrebiec, The Athletic, 10 Jan. 2025

This skills mismatch is already a pressing concern, with nearly two-thirds of employers (63%) citing it as their primary hurdle to growth. —Jack Kelly, Forbes, 8 Jan. 2025

Verb

That past abundance may have locked into place structural and epigenetic changes in the trees that are mismatched to today’s drier world. —Alana Chin, The Conversation, 9 Jan. 2025

The result: 34 standout shades that are perfect worn on their own, mismatched, or with the biggest spring nail design ideas and trending nail designs. —Sarah Y. Wu, Glamour, 8 Jan. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1606, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1582, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

mismatch

verb

mis·​match

(ˈ)mis-ˈmach

: to match unsuitably or badly

mismatch noun