misperception

noun

mis·​per·​cep·​tion ˌmis-pər-ˈsēp-shən 

plural misperceptions

: a false or inaccurate perception

… a host of misperceptions about the '50s, including the skewed notion that women didn't work in the 1950s, especially if they were mothers. Even in the '50s, one-fifth of mothers had paying jobs.

—Jeff Reid

Examples of misperception in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Political scientist Robert Jervis demonstrated decades ago that misperceptions in international relations are not random but follow patterns. —Monica Duffy Toft, The Conversation, 20 Mar. 2026

Ashley said among misperceptions people have is assuming adult children living with them can no longer be claimed as dependents. —Francine Knowles, Chicago Tribune, 16 Mar. 2026

Rent prices, in particular, have fallen, though Wegmann said there’s still something of a broad misperception in Austin. —Matthew Adams, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 9 Mar. 2026

In addition to warhead limits, the treaty provided for data sharing, mutual compliance checks and a mechanism for dialogue to raise and resolve potential misperceptions about what the other side is doing. —Yuliya Talmazan, NBC news, 5 Feb. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1722, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for misperception

• apperception
• contraception
• interception
• misconception
• preconception
• conception
• deception
• exception
• inception
• perception
• reception
• intussusception

Medical Definition

misperception

noun

mis·​per·​cep·​tion ˌmis-pər-ˈsep-shən 

: a false perception