misguided

adjective

mis·​guid·​ed (ˌ)mis-ˈgī-dəd 

: led or prompted by wrong or inappropriate motives or ideals

well-meaning but misguided do-gooders

misguidedly

(ˌ)mis-ˈgī-dəd-lē 

adverb

misguidedness

(ˌ)mis-ˈgī-dəd-nəs 

noun

Examples of misguided in a Sentence

She's been getting a lot of bad advice from misguided friends.

He blames the crisis on the government's misguided economic policies.

a misguided attempt to help

Recent Examples on the Web

Even American culture’s misguided attempt at welcoming the object through a decades-long foray into plush toilet covers elicits reflective disgust. — Julia Harrison, Architectural Digest, 22 July 2026

Stronger, more detailed laws are essential to ensure diligent human review, prevent complacency, and protect individuals from potentially misguided AI guidance, fostering accountability in this evolving field. — Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 21 July 2026

All of it was painfully misguided, as though the host nation were actively trying to self-mythologize instead of just hosting. — Olivier Lafontant, Pitchfork, 20 July 2026

Most of these tactics are misguided, according to Michael Ormsbee, PhD, director of the Florida State University Institute of Sports Sciences and Medicine (ISSM). — Jenessa Connor, Health, 20 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1500, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for misguided

• abided
• collided
• confided
• decided
• derided
• divided
• elided
• lopsided
• nitrided
• presided
• provided
• resided