misconceive
Americanverb (used with or without object)
verb
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of misconceive
Middle English word dating back to 1350–1400; see origin at mis- 1, conceive
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:
Regrettably, he and they misconceive the application of the U.S.
From Salon ● Feb. 22, 2023
People misconceive reality, according to his diagnosis, because they think about it without imagination or by rote.
From Time Magazine Archive
And greatly do you misconceive our close fellowship if you fear that in aught I would betray you, and that I would not screen you more than I would myself.
From The Book of the Duke of True Lovers by Christin? de Pisan
Ah, my dear friends, you entirely misconceive this extraordinary proposal.
From 'Gloria Victis!' A Romance by Ossip Schubin
Nobody who has read the striking essay in which these words appear could a moment misconceive their author's meaning.
From The International Monthly, Volume 5, No. 3, March, 1852 by Various
"The suggestion that the framework or its application is unfair or discriminatory is baseless and misconceived," the ministry said, without naming Musk directly.
From BBC ● Oct. 9, 2026
The two actors play a couple whose engagement is thrown into chaos by a single shocking secret in this misconceived rom-com from Kristoffer Borgli.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 2, 2026
Some movies are toxically misconceived, and “The Drama” is among them.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 2, 2026
Those changes enabled the bandmates, friends since they were teens, to become even closer, despite any misconceived notion that they’ve been at odds.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 22, 2025
Until Columbus demonstrated that classical geography was hopelessly misconceived, the assumption was that the arguments of the ancients needed to be interpreted, not challenged.
From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton
Mr. Collier, ludicrously misconceiving the instinctive action of Imogen's mind, thinks the true reading is, "smothers her with painting."
From The Atlantic Monthly, Volume 20, No. 118, August, 1867 by Various
"I wonder not at thy surprise; it is a feeling that hath overcome all others, through the late extraordinary events," answered the queen, evidently misconceiving the meaning of her friend's words.
From Mercedes of Castile The Voyage to Cathay by J. Fenimore Cooper
The only safeguard against this sort of misconceiving is to insist on varied statement, and to bring the child's conceptions, wherever it be possible, to some sort of practical test.
From Talks To Teachers On Psychology; And To Students On Some Of Life's Ideals by William James
In this instance there was no misconceiving the meaning of the action; but whoever watches birds in the pairing season is often at his wit's end to know what to make of their demonstrations.
From Birds in the Bush by Bradford Torrey
The figure was at a premium, and fit for any glass case that its vivacity should allow to enclose it—wherein it might be surrounded by wondering, admiring and often quite inevitably misconceiving observers.
From Notes of a Son and Brother by Henry James
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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.
