misrepresent

verb

mis·​rep·​re·​sent (ˌ)mis-ˌre-pri-ˈzent How to pronounce misrepresent (audio)
misrepresented; misrepresenting; misrepresents

transitive verb

1
: to give a false or misleading representation of usually with an intent to deceive or be unfair
misrepresented the facts
2
: to serve badly or improperly as a representative of
misrepresentation noun
misrepresentative adjective

Examples of misrepresent in a Sentence

The company is accused of misrepresenting its earnings. The movie deliberately misrepresents the facts about her life.
Recent Examples on the Web Email newsletter | Facebook page Our rating: False The post misrepresents a pilot program in New York to provide some migrants with necessities by issuing prepaid debit cards. Nate Trela, USA TODAY, 13 Mar. 2024 Faith in Florida believes that much of this conversation misrepresents what Black history aims to do. Lauren Costantino, Miami Herald, 29 Feb. 2024 Indigenous people aren't homogeneous and their lifestyles are often misrepresented in TV and film. Sophy Roberts, Condé Nast Traveler, 29 Feb. 2024 Because of an editing error, an article on Saturday about the impeachment case against President Biden misrepresented a claim about recordings made of Mr. Biden. New York Times, 27 Feb. 2024 Honest leaders cannot tolerate lying, fudging data, misrepresenting themselves or their companies, or engaging in any other conduct that displays contempt for the truth. Bruce Weinstein, Forbes, 21 Feb. 2024 The men also misrepresented the number of employees and various expenses and revenues, prosecutors said. Kate Linderman, Kansas City Star, 5 Feb. 2024 The 2021 agreement signed by Boeing and DOJ meant Boeing avoided prosecution for a charge of conspiracy to defraud the United States by misrepresenting characteristics of the 737 Max while the FAA reviewed the plane for certification. Gregory Wallace, CNN, 29 Feb. 2024 The unraveling of WeWork served as a poignant reminder of the risks associated with misrepresenting business fundamentals to align with the lucrative valuation models of the tech sector. Al Khan, Forbes, 28 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'misrepresent.' 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

1649, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of misrepresent was in 1649

Dictionary Entries Near misrepresent

Cite this Entry

“Misrepresent.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/misrepresent. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

misrepresent

verb
mis·​rep·​re·​sent (ˌ)mis-ˌrep-ri-ˈzent How to pronounce misrepresent (audio)
: to give a false or misleading idea of
misrepresentation noun

Legal Definition

misrepresent

transitive verb
mis·​rep·​re·​sent mis-ˌre-pri-ˈzent How to pronounce misrepresent (audio)
: to make a misrepresentation about

intransitive verb

: to make a misrepresentation
misrepresentative adjective
misrepresenter noun

More from Merriam-Webster on misrepresent

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!