misread
Americanverb (used with or without object)
-
to read wrongly.
-
to misunderstand or misinterpret.
verb
-
to read incorrectly
-
to misinterpret
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
misreadsimple
-
misreadssimple
-
have misreadperfect
-
has misreadperfect
-
am misreadingprogressive
-
are misreadingprogressive
-
is misreadingprogressive
-
have been misreadingperfect progressive
-
has been misreadingperfect progressive
Past
-
misreadsimple
-
had misreadperfect
-
was misreadingprogressive
-
were misreadingprogressive
-
had been misreadingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of misread
Explanation
To misread something is to read it but understand it in the wrong way. If you misread an article about local politics, you might end up supporting a candidate whose views you don't actually agree with. When you interpret a book, online article, or magazine story incorrectly, you misread it. You can also misread people, when you don't understand how they feel or what they intend: "She tended to misread cranky customers at the coffee shop, thinking they were joking when they were actually angry about something." The prefix mis- means "bad" or "wrong," and read can mean both "comprehend printed matter" or "make out a person's character."
Vocabulary lists containing misread
Florida's B.E.S.T. Common Prefixes: mis-
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
"The Vietnam Wars" by Tod Olson
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Misread it, and the draft would punt you to the rear.
From Washington Post • Feb. 27, 2011
Subs not used Guzan, L Young, Beye, Sidwell, Delph, Delfouenso Chelsea 4-1-4-1 Petr Cech – 6 Misread Downing's dangerous cross, which was not his most convincing moment as Carew waited to pounce.
From The Guardian • Apr. 10, 2010
Misread, mis-rēd′, v.t. to read wrongly: to misinterpret.—n.
From Chambers's Twentieth Century Dictionary (part 2 of 4: E-M) by Various
The accompanying Sermons on "Misread Passages of Scripture" form part of a series which the author projected, but which through ill health he has been unable to complete.
From Misread Passage of Scriptures by Brown, James Baldwin
War sure hath ceased; or have my erring eyes Misread the glorious visions of the skies?
From The Columbiad by Barlow, Joel
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
