misinterpret

verb

mis·​in·​ter·​pret ˌmi-sᵊn-ˈtər-prət How to pronounce misinterpret (audio)
-pət
misinterpreted; misinterpreting; misinterprets
Synonyms of misinterpretnext

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.

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
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.
Mainstream climate scientists heavily criticized the report for cherry-picking evidence and misinterpreting key climate science findings. Ella Nilsen, CNN Money, 11 Dec. 2025 On the other hand, a few people suggested that the guest misinterpreted the invitation. Ashlyn Robinette, PEOPLE, 11 Dec. 2025 The new result provides an essential warning—without a better theoretical grasp of what happens inside lead, future precision experiments could misinterpret their data. Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 7 Dec. 2025 Among the five, McCoy, who is also a mom of three, told Newsweek that parents most often misinterpret the impact of asking questions mid-meltdown. Daniella Gray, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 Dec. 2025 See All Example Sentences for misinterpret

Word History

First Known Use

1547, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of misinterpret was in 1547

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Misinterpret.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/misinterpret. Accessed 17 Dec. 2025.

Kids Definition

misinterpret

verb
mis·​in·​ter·​pret ˌmis-ᵊn-ˈtər-prət How to pronounce misinterpret (audio)
-pət
: to understand or explain wrongly
misinterpretation noun

More from Merriam-Webster on misinterpret

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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