mischaracterize

verb

mis·​char·​ac·​ter·​ize ˌmis-ˈker-ik-tə-ˌrīz How to pronounce mischaracterize (audio)
-ˈka-rik-
mischaracterized; mischaracterizing

transitive verb

: to characterize (someone or something) wrongly
mischaracterized his position on the issue
In many cases, the problems that the news media, activists, and politicians hype are real enough; however they are frequently greatly exaggerated and mischaracterizedBenjamin Radford

Examples of mischaracterize 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.
Baldoni denied the allegations, arguing that the dispute had been mischaracterized. Los Angeles Times, 4 May 2026 An algorithm used to determine where to put people on the transplant list had been mischaracterizing Black patients since 1999. Karen Weintraub, USA Today, 3 May 2026 Coe claimed in a 2000 interview with Country Standard Time that The New York Times mischaracterized the songs and did not give him a chance to respond. Victoria Edel, PEOPLE, 30 Apr. 2026 An earlier version mischaracterized the time frame. Steve Liesman, CNBC, 23 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for mischaracterize

Word History

First Known Use

1798, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of mischaracterize was in 1798

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Cite this Entry

“Mischaracterize.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mischaracterize. Accessed 9 May. 2026.

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