as in illegitimate
born to a father and mother who are not married
a misbegotten child who never knew his father
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of misbegotten
Because the Sunbeam Alpine and Tiger are essentially identical, save for their engines and some unibody sheet metal beneath the exterior body panels, there exist many misbegotten conversions as well as some quite deceptive clones.
—
Robert Ross, Robb Report, 22 Aug. 2025
Scenes stretch on too long, Lynette’s misbegotten plans play out in predictable fashion, and even a handful of genuinely thrilling action sequences (like Lynette’s escape from that grimy garage, told through an eye-popping oner) can’t quite keep things ticking along.
—Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 14 Aug. 2025
President Trump was right to withdraw from the Obama administration’s misbegotten project in 2018—even though the EU signatories remain pledged to the zombie agreement to this day.
—John R. Bolton, The Atlantic, 9 July 2025
The misbegotten union gave birth to the titan towers of Upper Downtown.
—Aldo Svaldi, Denver Post, 29 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for misbegotten
Robert Ross, Robb Report, 22 Aug. 2025
Scenes stretch on too long, Lynette’s misbegotten plans play out in predictable fashion, and even a handful of genuinely thrilling action sequences (like Lynette’s escape from that grimy garage, told through an eye-popping oner) can’t quite keep things ticking along.
—Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 14 Aug. 2025
President Trump was right to withdraw from the Obama administration’s misbegotten project in 2018—even though the EU signatories remain pledged to the zombie agreement to this day.
—John R. Bolton, The Atlantic, 9 July 2025
The misbegotten union gave birth to the titan towers of Upper Downtown.
—Aldo Svaldi, Denver Post, 29 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for misbegotten
Recent Examples of Synonyms for misbegotten
illegitimate
Adjective
-
But here, stranded alongside Bradley Cooper (who has the same deer-in-headlights look), she’s completely lost as a Depression-era woman who goes mad after losing a child and directs her fury at a woman who had an illegitimate son with her husband years earlier.—
Tim Grierson,
Vulture,
8 Nov. 2025
-
This dynamic marred the 2012-13 Hurricane Sandy package and has recurred in other disaster bills, not because relief is illegitimate but because speed plus political cover invites provisions that would die in regular order.—
Veronique De Rugy,
Oc Register,
7 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Misbegotten.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/misbegotten. Accessed 29 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share