misconception

mis·con·cep·tion | \ ˌmis-kən-ˈsep-shən

plural misconceptions

Definition of misconception

: a wrong or inaccurate idea or conception a common/popular misconception There's this misconception that you get famous and everything is perfect.— Chris Daughtry The new name, along with more stringent criteria for diagnosing the disorder, represents an attempt to clear up misconceptions about the disorder and to have it taken more seriously by psychiatrists as well as the courts.— Janny Scott Many gardeners are under the misconception [=have the mistaken idea] that bamboos grow only in mild climates.— Nan Sterman … artists, writers, and musicians who labor under the misconception that it's possible to come up with something new under the sun …— Simon Reynolds

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Examples of misconception in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Krishna Pillalamarri noted the misconception of many in the public that the COVID-19 vaccine involved injecting people with the virus. — David Anderson, baltimoresun.com, "Bel Air man who participated in trials of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine says ‘no side effects,’ urges others to get their shot," 31 Dec. 2020 Schell said that it’s a common misconception that popular summer hiking trails are safe to snowshoe in the winter. — Jane C. Hu, Wired, "Wilderness Rescuers Brace for a Rough Covid-19 Winter," 14 Nov. 2020 The whole question of who’s in the book is almost always based on a simple misconception about how characters are made. — Tobias Grey, WSJ, "Martin Amis Writes His ‘Last Long Novel’," 21 Oct. 2020 Perhaps the biggest misconception, Ms. Barrett writes, is that our brains evolved for thinking. — Emily Bobrow, WSJ, "‘Seven and a Half Lessons About the Brain’ Review: Gray Matter, a User’s Manual," 13 Dec. 2020 Perhaps one idling car sounds like a relatively minor drop in the bucket within the bigger picture, but as with a rainstorm, those drops add up, especially since needing to warm up your car is such a common misconception. — Jay Bennett, Popular Mechanics, "How Long to Warm Up Your Car When It’s Cold," 10 Dec. 2020 There is a misconception regarding UTVs and off-road racing. — Bill Center, San Diego Union-Tribune, "El Cajon’s Kristen and Wayne Matlock set for Baja 1000," 19 Nov. 2020 There is a common misconception that the tenant is only responsible for repairs up to the security deposit amount. — Gary Singer, sun-sentinel.com, "Ask a real estate pro: What can a landlord do after tenant used security deposit as last month’s rent and damaged property?," 12 Nov. 2020 Frame says that there is a misconception that the veteran status gives them government grants covering all of their financial issues. — NBC News, "Tips for starting a business from female military veterans," 3 Nov. 2020

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'misconception.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.