misinterpret

verb

mis·​in·​ter·​pret ˌmi-sᵊn-ˈtər-prət 

-pət

misinterpreted; misinterpreting; misinterprets

transitive verb

1

: to explain wrongly

His comment on the speech misinterprets the speaker's meaning.

2

: to understand wrongly

Their silence should not be misinterpreted as consent.

Synonyms of misinterpret

• misrepresent
• distort

Examples of misinterpret in a Sentence

He claims that his statements have been misinterpreted by the media.

Her silence should not be misinterpreted as consent.

Recent Examples on the Web

Billie, in turn, misinterprets that line as a message about wanting to open their relationship. — Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 2 Sep. 2026

Simultaneously, the 'Audition Problem' highlights the performative nature of interviews, where candidates present idealized versions, and interviewers often misinterpret interview prowess for actual job competence. — Alexander Puutio, Forbes.com, 28 Aug. 2026

Testimony is an account and people are often wrong or misinterpret about what happened to them. — Jeff Spry, Space.com, 22 Aug. 2026

Legal and other professionals unaware of the range of natural responses to trauma can easily misinterpret these behaviors as signs of lying or malingering. — Michele Patterson Ford, The Conversation, 19 Aug. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1547, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for misinterpret

• reinterpret
• interpret

Kids Definition

misinterpret

verb

mis·​in·​ter·​pret ˌmis-ᵊn-ˈtər-prət 

-pət

: to understand or explain wrongly

misinterpretation

-ˌtər-prə-ˈtā-shən 

-pə-ˈtā-

noun