misdirect

verb

mis·​di·​rect ˌmis-də-ˈrekt 

-(ˌ)dī-

misdirected; misdirecting; misdirects

transitive verb

1

: to give a wrong direction to

2

: to direct wrongly

misdirected their energies

Examples of misdirect in a Sentence

Their mail was misdirected to our address.

If he tells you he's not interested, he's trying to misdirect you.

Recent Examples on the Web

The image architect has a history of misdirecting speculation about the famous couple. — Ashlyn Robinette, PEOPLE, 18 Sep. 2026

The project took about six months to develop, with much of the work focused on designing a reliable mechanism that could consistently grip and launch shuttlecocks without damaging or misdirecting them. — Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 1 Sep. 2026

After 9/11, efforts were misdirected, while China methodically copied the US playbook, investing heavily in scholarships and exchanges globally. — James K. Glassman, Forbes.com, 8 Aug. 2026

Framing this as a contest between nations also misdirects attention and resources. — Shlomo Kramer, Fortune, 7 Aug. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1603, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for misdirect

• architect
• circumspect
• deselect
• dialect
• disconnect
• disinfect
• disrespect
• incorrect
• indirect
• intellect
• interject
• intersect

Kids Definition

misdirect

verb

mis·​di·​rect ˌmis-də-ˈrekt 

-(ˌ)dī-

: to direct incorrectly

misdirection

-ˈrek-shən

noun