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.
Late night host Jimmy Kimmel said Wednesday that his comments in the wake of Charlie Kirk’s assassination that preceded his brief suspension by ABC were deliberately mischaracterized by his critics. Ryan Mancini, The Hill, 9 Oct. 2025 Carr argued that Kimmel had mischaracterized the politics of Tyler Robinson, the suspect charged with killing Kirk. Brendan Morrow, USA Today, 9 Oct. 2025 Only Kordia — mischaracterized by the government, largely overlooked by the public and caught in a legal maze — languishes in detention. Dave Smith, Fortune, 3 Oct. 2025 Monfils was also mischaracterized at times as focusing on entertaining rather than winning. James Hansen, New York Times, 1 Oct. 2025 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 20 Oct. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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