Synonyms

misconstrue

American

[mis-kuhn-stroo, mis-kon-stroo] / ˌmɪs kənˈstru, mɪsˈkɒn stru /

verb (used with object)

misconstrued, misconstruing

to misunderstand the meaning of; take in a wrong sense; misinterpret.

Synonyms:

misjudge, misapprehend, misread

misconstrue British

/ ˌmɪskənˈstruː /

verb

(tr) to interpret mistakenly

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of misconstrue

Middle English word dating back to 1350–1400; mis- ¹, construe

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.

Zimbabwe's reservations over the US deal "should not be misconstrued as anti-American sentiment", he added.

From BBC

She posted a simple question, and her thank-you to the first person who answered was misconstrued as sarcastic.

From The Wall Street Journal

"Many people, in good faith, misconstrue what I'm saying, and they think I'm trying to do a sort of come-on to the camera. And I really am not," she told food podcast Sporked.

From BBC

Because of the carefree way Alcaraz plays, it can be misconstrued as him not caring.

From BBC

“His demeanor is such that it’s not an outward exuberant personality and so I think that can be misconstrued,” president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman told reporters.

From Los Angeles Times

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023