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

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

The danger is that governments and markets grow accustomed to a Strait of Hormuz that functions only intermittently and misinterpret the stopgap as a resolution. — Amena Bakr, semafor.com, 18 Aug. 2026

Also, so much communication now takes place in text and email, where tone can be misinterpreted. — CNN Money, 13 Aug. 2026

Lyonne was really open to the process and has been misinterpreted so much over the course of her life. — Merve Emre, The New York Review of Books, 11 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