as in deceptive
tending or having power to deceive
the misleading text of the advertisement would like you to believe that you're getting something for nothing
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in deceiving
to cause to believe what is untrue
the coral snake's attractive colors can mislead you into thinking that it is harmless
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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Recent Examples of misleading
Miranda Jeyaretnam, Time, 28 Oct. 2025
Murphy said that’s misleading because many incidents never make it into official statistics.
—Sarah Rumpf-Whitten, FOXNews.com, 28 Oct. 2025
Many put that satellite in the mini-moon category, but Kareta worried that, although fun, the term was misleading.
—Lila Shroff, The Atlantic, 27 Oct. 2025
The union’s statement is misleading since the vote failed by the slimmest of margins, 51% to 49%.
—Mandy Taheri, MSNBC Newsweek, 26 Oct. 2025
But even that list is misleading.
—Jayson Stark, New York Times, 25 Oct. 2025
Prosecutors say the conspiracy resulted in materially false and misleading representations being made to the betting companies.
—Dan Gallo, NBC news, 23 Oct. 2025
The musician teased the album, noting that the title is misleading.
—Emily Zemler, Rolling Stone, 22 Oct. 2025
The top issue was inaccurate or misleading results (39%), followed by a lack of context understanding (23%), and biased or inappropriate outputs (8%).
—John Kell, Fortune, 22 Oct. 2025
Elizabeth Campbell, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 29 Oct. 2025
The last quarter of the eighteenth century was a pre-democratic era, and all efforts to read a Jacksonian or Tocquevillian faith in the wisdom of the common man into the American founding are misleading distortions.
—Literary Hub, 28 Oct. 2025
Regulators have already fined Shein $46 million (40 million euros) for misleading advertising.
—NPR, 28 Oct. 2025
Cuban oregano or Mexican mint (Plectranthus amboinicus) are misleading names for this distinctive herb since its habitat, although uncertain, is either East Africa or India.
—Joshua Siskin, Oc Register, 24 Oct. 2025
Fake sales accounts, other Wells Fargo scandals From 2013 to 2016, the comptroller’s office said that Russ Anderson failed to provide information or provided false, incomplete or misleading information during compliance examinations in 2015.
—Desiree Mathurin, Charlotte Observer, 23 Oct. 2025
The Golden State’s chief legal officer announced a settlement with four producers of plastic bags for misleading the public in falsely claiming that the bags are recyclable.
—Kate Nishimura, Sourcing Journal, 22 Oct. 2025
Through this tumult, three myths pervade the global energy market, misleading everyone—from diplomats and military strategists, to economists and tech titans, to CEOs and consumers—about the state of global dependence on Russian energy supply.
—Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, Time, 22 Oct. 2025
At a forum held in July 2017, parents directed their frustrations at Eric Dill, SDUHSD’s superintendent at the time, several saying Adams should have been fired for misleading them and misrepresenting the condition of the Earl Warren ATP facilities.
—Marsha Sutton, San Diego Union-Tribune, 19 Oct. 2025
Adjective
He has been criticized for making unscientific and misleading statements, including COVID-19 misinformation and promoting conspiracy theories, and affirming antisemitic, racist, and transphobic comments.
—Miranda Jeyaretnam, Time, 28 Oct. 2025
Murphy said that’s misleading because many incidents never make it into official statistics.
—Sarah Rumpf-Whitten, FOXNews.com, 28 Oct. 2025
Many put that satellite in the mini-moon category, but Kareta worried that, although fun, the term was misleading.
—Lila Shroff, The Atlantic, 27 Oct. 2025
The union’s statement is misleading since the vote failed by the slimmest of margins, 51% to 49%.
—Mandy Taheri, MSNBC Newsweek, 26 Oct. 2025
But even that list is misleading.
—Jayson Stark, New York Times, 25 Oct. 2025
Prosecutors say the conspiracy resulted in materially false and misleading representations being made to the betting companies.
—Dan Gallo, NBC news, 23 Oct. 2025
The musician teased the album, noting that the title is misleading.
—Emily Zemler, Rolling Stone, 22 Oct. 2025
The top issue was inaccurate or misleading results (39%), followed by a lack of context understanding (23%), and biased or inappropriate outputs (8%).
—John Kell, Fortune, 22 Oct. 2025
Verb
The temporary restraining order motion alleged that the website had misleading information.
—Elizabeth Campbell, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 29 Oct. 2025
The last quarter of the eighteenth century was a pre-democratic era, and all efforts to read a Jacksonian or Tocquevillian faith in the wisdom of the common man into the American founding are misleading distortions.
—Literary Hub, 28 Oct. 2025
Regulators have already fined Shein $46 million (40 million euros) for misleading advertising.
—NPR, 28 Oct. 2025
Cuban oregano or Mexican mint (Plectranthus amboinicus) are misleading names for this distinctive herb since its habitat, although uncertain, is either East Africa or India.
—Joshua Siskin, Oc Register, 24 Oct. 2025
Fake sales accounts, other Wells Fargo scandals From 2013 to 2016, the comptroller’s office said that Russ Anderson failed to provide information or provided false, incomplete or misleading information during compliance examinations in 2015.
—Desiree Mathurin, Charlotte Observer, 23 Oct. 2025
The Golden State’s chief legal officer announced a settlement with four producers of plastic bags for misleading the public in falsely claiming that the bags are recyclable.
—Kate Nishimura, Sourcing Journal, 22 Oct. 2025
Through this tumult, three myths pervade the global energy market, misleading everyone—from diplomats and military strategists, to economists and tech titans, to CEOs and consumers—about the state of global dependence on Russian energy supply.
—Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, Time, 22 Oct. 2025
At a forum held in July 2017, parents directed their frustrations at Eric Dill, SDUHSD’s superintendent at the time, several saying Adams should have been fired for misleading them and misrepresenting the condition of the Earl Warren ATP facilities.
—Marsha Sutton, San Diego Union-Tribune, 19 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for misleading
Adjective
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In New Jersey, creating or sharing deceptive AI media can lead to prison time and fines.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
25 Oct. 2025
-
But the first time around, producers relied on deceptive camera angles and some CGI to edit out her pregnancy belly.—
Shania Russell,
Entertainment Weekly,
23 Oct. 2025
Verb
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To begin with, looks that are deceiving.—
Lizz Schumer,
PEOPLE,
21 Oct. 2025
-
That’s 14 years of dreaming, dissolving, romanticizing, escaping, and sometimes deceiving ourselves.—
Dossé-Via Trenou,
Refinery29,
19 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Several residents who work in the Georgia King Village area weighed in on the incident, including Harriette Guity, who told News12 that false reports based on AI could stretch first responders thin.—
Kimberlee Speakman,
PEOPLE,
25 Oct. 2025
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Archaeologists concluded the structure was actually a false tomb, or a cenotaph, a type of burial monument erected to honor a deceased person buried elsewhere.—
Aspen Pflughoeft,
Miami Herald,
24 Oct. 2025
Verb
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How to protect yourself from AI phishing scams AI phishing scams rely on tricking people into trusting what looks and sounds real.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
14 Oct. 2025
-
Some have also used the hashtag #homelessman to post their videos, all of which center on the idea of tricking people into believing that there is a stranger inside their home.—
Maura Murphy,
NBC news,
10 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
North Korea, fooling no one, is the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.—
John M. Crisp,
Mercury News,
29 Oct. 2025
-
The fastball-splitter combo was working well for him again, while his 74 mph curveball was fooling hitters all night as well.—
Scott Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
26 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Misleading.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/misleading. Accessed 31 Oct. 2025.
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