misdiagnose

verb

mis·​di·​ag·​nose ˌmis-ˈdī-ig-ˌnōs How to pronounce misdiagnose (audio)
-ˌnōz,
ˌdī-ig-ˈnōs,
-ˈnōz,
-əg-
misdiagnosed; misdiagnosing

transitive verb

: to diagnose (someone or something) incorrectly
… babesiosis is often missed or misdiagnosed as malaria or flu.Linda Marsa
The researchers added that children with this disease are often misdiagnosed and thus inappropriately treated …Jane E. Brody

Examples of misdiagnose in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Despite its severity, SPS is often underdiagnosed or misdiagnosed due to its rarity and the broad range of its symptoms, which can resemble those of other neurological and muscular disorders. Jake Parks, Discover Magazine, 28 Feb. 2024 Along with the common struggles of being a child, like bullying and social issues inside school walls, Black children are often overlooked and under-referred for gifted and advanced programs, misdiagnosed with emotional and behavior disorders, and face harsher punishments and suspensions. Jazmin Towe, Parents, 27 Feb. 2024 Especially if a patient's symptoms were left unexplained or misdiagnosed in the past, Wilson says, diagnosis is crucial. Erin Jensen, USA TODAY, 5 Feb. 2024 But, all too often, a patient’s pain is dismissed or misdiagnosed—for instance, as allergies, IBS, a thyroid disorder, or just plain old period problems, as SELF previously reported. Jenna Ryu, SELF, 14 Mar. 2024 What This Means for You Severe liver disease can cause cognitive changes that look like dementia and may even be misdiagnosed as the condition. Korin Miller, Verywell Health, 12 Feb. 2024 By the time of that induction, Ronstadt had retired, unable to sing due to progressive supranuclear palsy, a degenerative disease originally misdiagnosed as Parkinson’s disease. Ed Masley, The Arizona Republic, 2 Feb. 2024 Watkins is among 12 million adults misdiagnosed every year in the U.S. Women and minorities are 20% to 30% more likely than white men to experience a misdiagnosis, said Dr. David Newman-Toker, a professor of neurology at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. Elizabeth Both, NBC News, 15 Jan. 2024 In the weeks that followed, she was correctly diagnosed with ADHD, post-traumatic stress disorder and major depression — after being misdiagnosed as a teenager with schizophrenia. Angela Roberts, Hartford Courant, 13 Jan. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'misdiagnose.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1883, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of misdiagnose was in 1883

Dictionary Entries Near misdiagnose

Cite this Entry

“Misdiagnose.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/misdiagnose. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Medical Definition

misdiagnose

transitive verb
mis·​di·​ag·​nose (ˈ)mis-ˈdī-ig-ˌnōs, -ˌnōz How to pronounce misdiagnose (audio)
misdiagnosed; misdiagnosing
: to diagnose incorrectly

More from Merriam-Webster on misdiagnose

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