misspeak
Americanverb (used with or without object)
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to speak, utter, or pronounce incorrectly.
-
to speak inaccurately, inappropriately, or too hastily.
Etymology
Origin of misspeak
1150–1200; Middle English misspeken; see mis- 1, speak; compare Old English missprecan to murmur
Explanation
To misspeak is to say something the wrong way. You can misspeak by pronouncing someone's name incorrectly, or misspeak by saying something that accidentally offends them. Sometimes when politicians are called out on controversial things they say, they claim to misspeak. Saying that you misspeak implies that a mere slip of the tongue kept you from saying the right thing, and allows you to set the record straight. In the fourteenth century, to misspeak was both "to say amiss," and also "to speak insultingly," from the Old English missprecan, "to grumble."
Vocabulary lists containing misspeak
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.
See Examples For:
“That includes speaking out forcefully against inappropriate statements and even correcting our own statements when we misspeak or when our words are taken out of context,” he posted.
From Seattle Times ● Mar. 5, 2023
Mr. McAuliffe also told the outlet he did not misspeak during a Sept. 28 debate with his Republican opponent, Glenn Youngkin.
From Washington Times ● Oct. 20, 2021
McDermott didn’t simply misspeak in a fit of frustration.
From Washington Post ● Mar. 11, 2021
"If he doesn't correct it, I guess he didn't misspeak."
From Salon ● Sep. 30, 2020
A man can live a long and adventurous life without ever being spoken to by Lacey Pemberton, and when that rare opportunity does arise, one does not wish to misspeak.
From "Paper Towns" by John Green
The reaction was over the top, a case of Miller slightly misspeaking, when actually showing confidence and ambition in the unforgiving world of football is nothing to be ashamed of.
From BBC ● Jun. 9, 2025
“Mistaking someone or misspeaking doesn’t mean you have dementia,” said Dr. Zaldy S. Tan, director of the Cedars-Sinai Memory and Healthy Aging Program.
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 10, 2024
The king, who suffers from dyslexia, was often ridiculed in the early years of his reign for misspeaking during speeches.
From Reuters ● Sep. 15, 2023
They also played an audio blooper reel of Chris Lohner, who has been the official voice of Austrian train announcements for decades, misspeaking station names and instructions.
From New York Times ● May 16, 2023
"There's a difference between misspeaking or not knowing something than maliciously lying."
From Salon ● Dec. 12, 2018
"I don't think I misspoke," said Burnham of his past comments on Man City's owners.
From BBC ● Oct. 11, 2026
“Although, it’s worth correcting—I think Mr. Readdy misspoke when he said it was competitive. It was, in fact, not competitive.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 11, 2026
Perhaps Oz just misspoke; it’s certainly not uncommon for people to substitute “billions” for “millions” in quotidian speech.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 18, 2025
"He never actually saw combat, and the campaign’s said he misspoke," Oliver explained.
From Salon ● Aug. 12, 2024
"I wasn't trying to be rude. I was just saying... Ignore me. I'm having a bad day.... I misspoke."
From "The Belles" by Dhonielle Clayton
A different source said it was "clumsy", while another said they were surprised that the prime minister had "misspoken".
From BBC ● Oct. 8, 2026
The White House did not immediately respond when asked by AFP if Trump had misspoken and had intended to refer to Iran rather than Oman.
From Barron's ● May 27, 2026
“Rodriguez testified that this threat took place in September 2014. Rodriguez immediately realized that he had misspoken and that the firing threat took place in September 2013, and the court was promptly notified.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 25, 2025
“And that’s what democracy is all about,” Musk added, admitting he may have misspoken on a few items on a few occasions.
From Salon ● Feb. 13, 2025
It seemed to him that Mr. Poe must somehow have misspoken.
From "The Bad Beginning" by Lemony Snicket
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
