misinformation

noun

mis·​in·​for·​ma·​tion ˌmis-ˌin-fər-ˈmā-shən 

: incorrect or misleading information

Indubitably, a great deal of paranoid and otherwise irresponsible misinformation about the Kennedy assassination has traveled far and sold well …

—Ronnie Dugger

A muddle of misinformation keeps clouding the debate over hormone-replacement therapy for women.

—Melinda Beck

Each of these pieces of information (and misinformation) about me is sold for about two-fifths of a cent to advertisers, which then deliver me an Internet ad, send me a catalog or mail me a credit-card offer.

—Joel Stein

Examples of misinformation in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The 91-year-old former movie star, who became an international icon in the '50s, recently took to social media to dispel rumors of her death while calling out the spread of misinformation. —Shania Russell, Entertainment Weekly, 23 Oct. 2025

As people increasingly rely on AI assistants as search tools, and the study raises concerns about the potential proliferation of misinformation. —Beatrice Nolan, Fortune, 23 Oct. 2025

Posts with fancy charts can contain noxious misinformation. —Nadav Ziv, Time, 23 Oct. 2025

Now everyone seems to own a gun and have a far-right sign in their front yard; even her once liberal ex-boyfriend is spouting misinformation about Haitian immigrants. —Grace Byron, New Yorker, 22 Oct. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1605, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for misinformation

• abbreviation
• abomination
• acceleration
• accentuation
• accommodation
• accreditation
• acculturation
• accumulation
• acetylation
• adjudication
• administration
• adulteration