misdiagnose
verb
mis·di·ag·nose
ˌmis-ˈdī-ig-ˌnōs 
-ˌnōz,
ˌdī-ig-ˈnōs,
-ˈnōz,
-əg-
misdiagnosed; misdiagnosing
: to diagnose (someone or something) incorrectly
… babesiosis is often missed or misdiagnosed as malaria or flu.—
Linda Marsa
Linda MarsaThe researchers added that children with this disease are often misdiagnosed and thus inappropriately treated …—Jane E. Brody
Jane E. BrodyExamples of misdiagnose in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Patients with heart failure are misdiagnosed at a rate of 16% in hospitals and nearly 70% when general practitioners refer patients to specialists, according to a study in the Journal of Cardiac Failure.
—Steve Levine, Fortune, 11 Apr. 2024
There are situations in which doctors can misdiagnose people with TB.
—Rong-Gong Lin Ii, Los Angeles Times, 25 Mar. 2024
The authors’ analytic errors matter: misdiagnosing the problem can lead to inappropriate, perhaps even counterproductive, solutions.
—Foreign Affairs, 20 Feb. 2024
Autism wasn’t officially recognized by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders until 1980, and in 2013 its definition changed, leaving some teens and adults misdiagnosed or not diagnosed at all.
—Katie Camero, USA TODAY, 13 Feb. 2024
Despite its severity, SPS is often underdiagnosed or misdiagnosed due to its rarity and the broad range of its symptoms, which can resemble those of other neurological and muscular disorders.
—Jake Parks, Discover Magazine, 28 Feb. 2024
Along with the common struggles of being a child, like bullying and social issues inside school walls, Black children are often overlooked and under-referred for gifted and advanced programs, misdiagnosed with emotional and behavior disorders, and face harsher punishments and suspensions.
—Jazmin Towe, Parents, 27 Feb. 2024
Especially if a patient's symptoms were left unexplained or misdiagnosed in the past, Wilson says, diagnosis is crucial.
—Erin Jensen, USA TODAY, 5 Feb. 2024
But, all too often, a patient’s pain is dismissed or misdiagnosed—for instance, as allergies, IBS, a thyroid disorder, or just plain old period problems, as SELF previously reported.
—Jenna Ryu, SELF, 14 Mar. 2024
Steve Levine, Fortune, 11 Apr. 2024
There are situations in which doctors can misdiagnose people with TB.
—Rong-Gong Lin Ii, Los Angeles Times, 25 Mar. 2024
The authors’ analytic errors matter: misdiagnosing the problem can lead to inappropriate, perhaps even counterproductive, solutions.
—Foreign Affairs, 20 Feb. 2024
Autism wasn’t officially recognized by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders until 1980, and in 2013 its definition changed, leaving some teens and adults misdiagnosed or not diagnosed at all.
—Katie Camero, USA TODAY, 13 Feb. 2024
Despite its severity, SPS is often underdiagnosed or misdiagnosed due to its rarity and the broad range of its symptoms, which can resemble those of other neurological and muscular disorders.
—Jake Parks, Discover Magazine, 28 Feb. 2024
Along with the common struggles of being a child, like bullying and social issues inside school walls, Black children are often overlooked and under-referred for gifted and advanced programs, misdiagnosed with emotional and behavior disorders, and face harsher punishments and suspensions.
—Jazmin Towe, Parents, 27 Feb. 2024
Especially if a patient's symptoms were left unexplained or misdiagnosed in the past, Wilson says, diagnosis is crucial.
—Erin Jensen, USA TODAY, 5 Feb. 2024
But, all too often, a patient’s pain is dismissed or misdiagnosed—for instance, as allergies, IBS, a thyroid disorder, or just plain old period problems, as SELF previously reported.
—Jenna Ryu, SELF, 14 Mar. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'misdiagnose.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near misdiagnose
Cite this Entry
“Misdiagnose.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/misdiagnose. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
misdiagnose
transitive verb
mis·di·ag·nose
(ˈ)mis-ˈdī-ig-ˌnōs, -ˌnōz
misdiagnosed; misdiagnosing
: to diagnose incorrectly
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