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disinformation

dis-in-fer-MAY-shuhn /ˌdɪsɪnfərˈmeɪʃən/

nounC1GRETOEFLIELTS

Formal

False information, which is intended to mislead, especially propaganda issued by a government organization to a rival power or the media.

Crucially, "disinformation" is intentionally false and spread to deceive, unlike "misinformation" which can be false but spread without malicious intent.

The story behind the word. The word "disinformation" is a relatively modern term, a direct translation of the Russian `dezinformatsiya`, which emerged in the Soviet Union in the 1920s. It combines the Latin prefix `dis-` (meaning "apart" or "away," often implying reversal or negation) with `information`. The term specifically refers to false information deliberately created and spread to deceive, a concept refined and weaponized during the Cold War.

Word relationships

propaganda: Propaganda is information, often biased, to promote a cause; disinformation is false information specifically designed to mislead. Disinformation is a type of propaganda.
falsehoods: General term for untrue statements; disinformation emphasizes the intent to deceive and spread systematically.

truth: That which is in accordance with fact or reality.
accurate information: Information that is correct and precise.

Commonly confused with

misinformation: "Misinformation" is false or inaccurate information, regardless of intent; "disinformation" is deliberately false and intended to deceive.

Word family

disinform (verb): To provide with false or inaccurate information.

Collocations

spread disinformation
combat disinformation
political disinformation
disinformation campaign
detect disinformation

Example sentences

"Foreign intelligence agencies often use social media to spread disinformation and sow discord in rival nations." Geopolitics.
"The public health campaign aimed to counter the widespread disinformation about vaccine safety." Public health.

Memory hook

DISINFORMATION: DIShonest INFOrmation for nation manipulation. Dishonest info.

When not to use

Don't use for accidental errors or honest mistakes; it implies deliberate deception.

Fun facts

The first known use of "disinformation" in English was in 1939, but it became widely used in the 1950s and 60s.