mischaracterization

noun

mis·​char·​ac·​ter·​i·​za·​tion ˌmis-ˌker-ik-t(ə-)rə-ˈzā-shən How to pronounce mischaracterization (audio)
-ˌka-rik-
plural mischaracterizations
: the act or an instance of characterizing someone or something wrongly
It is impossible to catalog here the leaps of logic, mischaracterizations, and outright errors that permeate their book …Dmitri Tymoczko

Examples of mischaracterization in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
The attorney general’s office found that many of the allegations submitted to state authorities were unsupported by evidence, and others amounted to mischaracterizations of the election process. Sarah Fitzpatrick, The Atlantic, 10 Mar. 2026 Lastly, some members of the mainstream media’s reports on the violent anti-ICE protests in Minneapolis have been draped in gross mischaracterizations and gaping omissions. Michael Zais, The Orlando Sentinel, 15 Feb. 2026 Talarico called the video a mischaracterization of a private conversation. Eleanor Dearman, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 3 Feb. 2026 The administration's mischaracterizations have also spilled over to courtrooms, where federal judges in dozens of cases have admonished federal officials for providing false, contradictory or unreliable statements in court. Jude Joffe-Block, NPR, 31 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for mischaracterization

Word History

First Known Use

1900, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of mischaracterization was in 1900

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Cite this Entry

“Mischaracterization.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mischaracterization. Accessed 18 Mar. 2026.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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