misrepresent

verb

mis·​rep·​re·​sent (ˌ)mis-ˌre-pri-ˈzent How to pronounce misrepresent (audio)
misrepresented; misrepresenting; misrepresents

transitive verb

1
: to give a false or misleading representation of usually with an intent to deceive or be unfair
misrepresented the facts
2
: to serve badly or improperly as a representative of
misrepresentation noun
misrepresentative adjective

Synonyms of misrepresent

Examples of misrepresent in a Sentence

The company is accused of misrepresenting its earnings. The movie deliberately misrepresents the facts about her life.
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.
Atkins also found that Jenkins and his practice misrepresented their qualifications and standard of care. Kansas City Star, 7 Nov. 2025 Translate all documents given to detainees into Spanish and refrain from misrepresenting their contents. Gabe Whisnant, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 Nov. 2025 But for many years, her contributions went unacknowledged or were misrepresented. Deborah Unger, Scientific American, 5 Nov. 2025 Residents and local leaders have said that TCEQ misrepresented the nature of the intersection in a traffic study completed for the application. Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 31 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for misrepresent

Word History

First Known Use

1649, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of misrepresent was in 1649

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Misrepresent.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/misrepresent. Accessed 10 Nov. 2025.

Kids Definition

misrepresent

verb
mis·​rep·​re·​sent (ˌ)mis-ˌrep-ri-ˈzent How to pronounce misrepresent (audio)
: to give a false or misleading idea of
misrepresentation noun

Legal Definition

misrepresent

transitive verb
mis·​rep·​re·​sent mis-ˌre-pri-ˈzent How to pronounce misrepresent (audio)
: to make a misrepresentation about

intransitive verb

: to make a misrepresentation
misrepresentative adjective
misrepresenter noun

More from Merriam-Webster on misrepresent

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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