misleading
mis-LEED-ing
/ˌmɪsˈliː.dɪŋ/
Giving the wrong idea or impression.
The most common and neutral term for something that causes a misunderstanding.
The story behind the word. A straightforward combination of the Old English 'mis-' (amiss or badly) and 'lædan' (to guide). It literally means to guide someone onto the wrong path.
Word relationships
- ambiguous: Ambiguous means having multiple meanings; misleading means pointing toward the wrong meaning.
- accurate: Correct in all details; exact.
Commonly confused with
- false: False means factually wrong; misleading can be factually true but presented in a way that creates a wrong impression.
Word family
- mislead (verb): To cause someone to have a wrong idea.
- misleadingly (adverb): In a way that gives a wrong impression.
Collocations
- misleading information
- misleading advertisement
- potentially misleading
Example sentences
- "The label was misleading because it didn't mention that the 'recycled' plastic was only 5% of the total material." Consumer protection.
- "The witness provided misleading information that delayed the investigation for months." Legal context.
Memory hook
Think of a 'missed' 'leading'—the leader missed the right path. Leading someone into a mist.
When not to use
Use 'deceptive' if you want to emphasize a deliberate trick; use 'misleading' for general inaccuracies.
Fun facts
- In many countries, 'misleading advertising' is a criminal offense, even if the advertiser didn't intend to lie.
Explore more words
deceitful, disinformation, misinformation, equivocate, distortion, miss the mark
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