misread

verb

mis·​read ˌmis-ˈrēd How to pronounce misread (audio)
misread ˌmis-ˈred How to pronounce misread (audio) ; misreading ˌmis-ˈrē-diŋ How to pronounce misread (audio)

transitive verb

1
: to read incorrectly
2
: to misinterpret in or as if in reading
totally misread the lesson of historyChristopher Hollis

Examples of misread in a Sentence

I guess I misread the instructions. They have misread the lessons of the past. Politicians may have misread the mood of the public. I badly misread the situation.
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.
In lower-resource languages, models often misread tone or intent. Alessa Cross, Forbes.com, 11 June 2025 Often, the mistake comes from the game itself misreading the action rather than the player. Christopher Cruz, Rolling Stone, 15 May 2025 With two on and no outs, Yamamoto raced off the mound to field a bunt that first baseman Freddie Freeman misread, anticipating Cleveland second baseman Will Wilson to angle the ball up the third-base line. Jack Harris, Los Angeles Times, 27 May 2025 This justification misreads the problems plaguing the U.S. healthcare system. Wayne Winegarden, Forbes.com, 20 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for misread

Word History

First Known Use

1658, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of misread was in 1658

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Cite this Entry

“Misread.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/misread. Accessed 15 Jun. 2025.

Kids Definition

misread

verb
mis·​read (ˈ)mis-ˈrēd How to pronounce misread (audio)
misread -ˈred How to pronounce misread (audio) ; misreading -ˈrēd-iŋ How to pronounce misread (audio)
1
: to read incorrectly
2
: to misinterpret in or as if in reading

More from Merriam-Webster on misread

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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