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.
If a field shifts or a new variation appears, the system breaks—or worse, misinterprets the data. Rhett Power, Forbes.com, 8 June 2025 That limit held until it was lifted by a July 2024 decision from Ramsey County District Court Judge Leonardo Castro. Company responds Company officials maintain their monitors show dust particles and lead levels to be well within state standards, and that the MPCA has misinterpreted the data. Frederick Melo, Twin Cities, 6 June 2025 The findings of dozens of other studies were exaggerated, misleading or misinterpreted. Nathaniel Weixel, The Hill, 29 May 2025 In a scathing analysis, Ms. Davis said that Ms. Brownmiller had misinterpreted historic cases involving Black men and white women (especially the cases of the Scottsboro Nine and Emmett Till) and had concluded, wrongly, that the Black men were at fault. Katharine Q. Seelye, New York Times, 26 May 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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Misinterpret.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/misinterpret. Accessed 13 Jun. 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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