misdirected

adjective

as in misguided

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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 misdirected The primary barrier has been the cumulative friction of subpar user experiences, misdirected marketing and an obsession with speculative trading over personal finance. — Jeff Mahony, Forbes.com, 14 Sep. 2026 What’s being exploited and misdirected is men’s search for belonging and for economic security. — Emma Hinchliffe, Fortune, 17 Aug. 2026 The evidence will show that this was a misdirected voicemail resulting from a scam call, not a deliberate communication directed at Sheriff Kamara. — Joe Holden, CBS News, 28 July 2026 Reducing misdirected street lighting for example can really help, especially in areas with species that need low light for navigation. — Mack Baysinger follow, Los Angeles Times, 22 July 2026 The turban’s high visibility leaves Sikh men uniquely vulnerable to misdirected Islamophobic attacks, according to the American Bar Association. — Susie Neilson, San Francisco Chronicle, 5 Mar. 2026 The novelist Naomi Alderman recently wrote about how the thing that keeps drawing us back to our phones is actually a misdirected desire to learn. — Richard Godwin, Travel + Leisure, 5 Feb. 2026 Everyone in the book suffers from unreturned or misdirected love. — Christopher Tayler, Harpers Magazine, 27 Jan. 2026 Even with smart investing, without the right systems in place to transfer this wealth, wealth that took generations to build can be lost, misdirected, or fumbled entirely. — Essence, 14 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for misdirected
  1. misguided
  2. ineffective
  3. careless
  4. ill-advised
Adjective
  • Please do not waste your sympathy on the misguided and vulgar notion that spending loads of money is a prerequisite for a lovely wedding or meaningful reception.
    — Judith Martin, Sun Sentinel, 30 Oct. 2026
  • Health leaders must move quickly to oppose these deeply misguided changes.
    — Julie Morita, Time, 25 Oct. 2026
Definition of misguided
Adjective
  • Raman has portrayed Bass as a weak and ineffective leader, pointing to her handling of the Palisades fire, the homelessness crisis and the city’s ongoing struggle to deliver basic services.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 1 Nov. 2026
  • Hays served on the pre-platform committee at the 1952 Democratic National Convention and the platform committee in 1956, co-authoring weak and ineffective civil rights planks.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 31 Oct. 2026
Definition of ineffective
Adjective
  • Josh Hoover may have been a bit careless, but every game TCU has played this season is another painful example how badly both his old school, and coach, miss him.
    — Mac Engel October 14, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 Oct. 2026
  • According to police, the driver was cited for careless driving.
    — Ryan Hughes, CBS News, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of careless
Adjective
  • Mahomes’ ugly interception came from pressure, but the decision to launch was ill-advised.
    — Blair Kerkhoff, Kansas City Star, 26 Oct. 2026
  • That the university is prepared to sacrifice a vital cultural resource in order to save a relatively small amount of money strikes me — and others as singularly short-sighted and ill-advised.
    — Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 18 Oct. 2026
Definition of ill-advised

Browse Nearby Words

misdiagnosing
misdirected
misdirection
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Cite this Entry

“Misdirected.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/misdirected. Accessed 3 Nov. 2026.

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