misgiving

noun

mis·​giv·​ing ˌmis-ˈgi-viŋ How to pronounce misgiving (audio)
Synonyms of misgivingnext
: a feeling of doubt or suspicion especially concerning a future event
Many people have expressed misgivings about his ability to do the job.

Examples of misgiving in a Sentence

I felt some misgiving about his ability to do the job. They regarded the plan with misgiving.
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.
As a result, the charge has stuck, reinforcing broader misgivings about the country’s intentions. Zongyuan Zoe Liu, Foreign Affairs, 16 Dec. 2025 Flights have already been booked to take Grant to a World Cup being played across the United States, Canada and Mexico, but there are misgivings about what lies in store. Philip Buckingham, New York Times, 14 Dec. 2025 Meanwhile, according to Reuters, some European officials have misgivings over the Pentagon's tight 2027 deadline and view it as unrealistic. Toby Meyjes, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 Dec. 2025 Futures traders are assigning a nearly 90% probability that the central bank will approve another quarter percentage point cut in its key interest rate, despite misgivings from some officials over whether further easing is needed. Jeff Cox, CNBC, 3 Dec. 2025 See All Example Sentences for misgiving

Word History

First Known Use

1582, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of misgiving was in 1582

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Misgiving.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/misgiving. Accessed 25 Dec. 2025.

Kids Definition

misgiving

noun
mis·​giv·​ing (ˈ)mis-ˈgiv-iŋ How to pronounce misgiving (audio)
: a feeling of doubt or suspicion especially concerning a future event

More from Merriam-Webster on misgiving

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!