misrepresent

mis·rep·re·sent

transitive verb \(ˌ)mis-ˌre-pri-ˈzent\

Definition of MISREPRESENT

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

— mis·rep·re·sen·ta·tion \(ˌ)mis-ˌre-pri-ˌzen-ˈtā-shən, -zən-\ noun

— mis·rep·re·sen·ta·tive \-ˈzen-tə-tiv\ adjective

Examples of MISREPRESENT

1. The company is accused of misrepresenting its earnings.
2. The movie deliberately misrepresents the facts about her life.

First Known Use of MISREPRESENT

1647

Related to MISREPRESENT

Synonyms

bend, color, cook, distort, falsify, fudge, misinterpret, misrelate, garble, misstate, pervert, slant, twist, warp

Antonyms

betray, represent

Related Words

misdescribe, misspeak, mistranslate; belie, camouflage, disguise, dissemble, gloss (over), mask, veil, whitewash; bowdlerize, censor; complicate, confound, confuse, mistake, mix (up); mystify, obscure; equivocate, fib, lie, palter, prevaricate

Near Antonyms

clarify, clear (up), explain, illuminate, illustrate, interpret, spell out; decipher