misperception

noun

mis·​per·​cep·​tion ˌmis-pər-ˈsēp-shən How to pronounce misperception (audio)
plural misperceptions
: a false or inaccurate perception
… a host of misperceptions about the '50s, including the skewed notion that women didn't work in the 1950s, especially if they were mothers. Even in the '50s, one-fifth of mothers had paying jobs.Jeff Reid

Examples of misperception in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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According to a recent Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report, many Americans have misperceptions about the purity of tap water. Whizy Kim, Vox, 20 Dec. 2024 Perhaps the most common misperception is that scholarships are only available to elite athletes or the class valedictorian and salutatorian. Ethan Cloud, Forbes, 18 Dec. 2024 This is a step in the right direction to reducing the risks of misperception and miscalculation. Timothy H.j. Nerozzi Fox News, Fox News, 25 Sep. 2024 There has been confusion in the community that has led to some unintended misperceptions. Eric Sondheimer, Los Angeles Times, 12 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for misperception 

Word History

First Known Use

1722, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of misperception was in 1722

Dictionary Entries Near misperception

Cite this Entry

“Misperception.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/misperception. Accessed 15 Jan. 2025.

Medical Definition

misperception

noun
mis·​per·​cep·​tion ˌmis-pər-ˈsep-shən How to pronounce misperception (audio)
: a false perception

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