MISCONSTRUE Synonyms: 30 Similar and Opposite Words

misconstrue

verb

ˌmis-kən-ˈstrü

Definition of misconstrue

as in to misunderstand

to fail to understand the true or actual meaning of claimed that the press had misconstrued her comments

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.

Recent Examples of misconstrue His attorneys feared Paul was trying to coax Fauci to say something under oath that could be misconstrued and used to prosecute him. — Michael Collins, USA Today, 7 Aug. 2026 Sanchez said that the ruling had been intentionally misconstrued by migrant smugglers to convince thousands of people to cross by swimming around the border fence. — ABC News, 4 Aug. 2026 Sánchez said that the ruling had been intentionally misconstrued by migrant smugglers to persuade thousands of people to swim around the border fence. — Sam McNeil, Los Angeles Times, 4 Aug. 2026 Sherman misconstrued my letter. — Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 29 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for misconstrue

Recent Examples of Synonyms for misconstrue

Verb

That’s also another beat in the documentary where Evans and Holmes seem to misread or misunderstand popular culture, humor, or art.

— Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 17 Oct. 2026
Reward prediction error reflects a discrepancy in the outcome or goal and, in the NVA system, can indicate that the AI has misunderstood what the person ultimately wanted.

— New Atlas, New Atlas, 4 Oct. 2026

Definition of misunderstand

Podcast

Cite this Entry

Style

“Misconstrue.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/misconstrue. Accessed 18 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of misconstrue

verb

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Podcast

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

bon vivant

Popular in Grammar & Usage

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Popular in Wordplay

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Bad Endings and Rough Situations

The Words of the Week - Oct. 16

Popular

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

Games & Quizzes