misdefine
verb
mis·de·fine
ˌmis-di-ˈfīn 
misdefined; misdefining
: to incorrectly identify or set forth the meaning of (something, such as a word) : to define wrongly
a term that is often misdefined in textbooks
… and misdefine what it means to engage in quid pro quo.—
Olympia Meola
Olympia Meola
Examples of misdefine in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
And the problem with the battlefield is that victory is misdefined here.
—David Remnick, The New Yorker, 17 Feb. 2023
To misdefine them, as Mr. Warsh does, is to relieve politicians the world over who, in response to a spreading virus, chose economic contraction as their mitigation strategy.
—WSJ, 20 Dec. 2021
David Remnick, The New Yorker, 17 Feb. 2023
To misdefine them, as Mr. Warsh does, is to relieve politicians the world over who, in response to a spreading virus, chose economic contraction as their mitigation strategy.
—WSJ, 20 Dec. 2021
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'misdefine.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
First Known Use
1813, in the meaning defined above
Dictionary Entries Near misdefine
Cite this Entry
“Misdefine.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/misdefine. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.
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