misinterpretation

noun

mis·​in·​ter·​pre·​ta·​tion ˌmi-sᵊn-ˌtər-prə-ˈtā-shən How to pronounce misinterpretation (audio)
-pə-
plural misinterpretations
: failure to understand or interpret something correctly
an error caused by misinterpretation of the rules
: a mistaken interpretation
… it soon becomes obvious to workers in the field that misunderstandings and misinterpretations of conventional terms seriously interfere with scholarly communication.Juergan Eichhoff

Examples of misinterpretation in a Sentence

his misinterpretation of the ambiguously worded instructions was hardly his fault
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.
Watch out for misinterpretations of emotions and feelings of inadequacy. Lisa Stardust, Refinery29, 14 Oct. 2025 McGregor recognizes that the work of translating between Western science and TEK is critical in certain contexts and applications, while there has also been significant cooption and misinterpretation. JSTOR Daily, 11 Oct. 2025 Robinson and Kanin actually have come up with an extremely quirky, often nerve-racking and occasionally gross depiction of 2025 as a time when clear communication is being replaced by misdirection, misinterpretation, AI customer service chats and a pervasive sense of loneliness. Julie Hinds, Freep.com, 10 Oct. 2025 Campus protesters in the United States unwisely adopted slogans that were open to misinterpretation. Hussein Ibish, The Atlantic, 7 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for misinterpretation

Word History

First Known Use

1538, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of misinterpretation was in 1538

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Cite this Entry

“Misinterpretation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/misinterpretation. Accessed 17 Oct. 2025.

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