miscue
1 Americannoun
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Sports. a failure to execute a play, stroke, or maneuver properly; an error.
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Informal. a mistake.
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Informal. to make a mistake.
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Theater. to fail to answer one's cue or to answer another's cue.
verb (used with object)
noun
verb (used without object)
noun
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billiards a faulty stroke in which the cue tip slips off the cue ball or misses it altogether
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informal a blunder or mistake
verb
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(intr) billiards to make a miscue
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(intr) theatre to fail to answer one's own cue or answer the cue of another
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radio to start (a record or tape) at the wrong point
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informal (intr) to blunder
Etymology
Origin of miscue1
First recorded in 1880–85; mis- 1 + cue 1
Origin of miscue2
Vocabulary lists containing miscue
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:
Stokes enticed O'Rourke to miscue and then came a moment of controversy.
From BBC ● Jun. 26, 2026
That unfortunate miscue opened the door for the Royals to win the state title.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 17, 2026
A successful meeting, and international diplomacy, can hinge on the slightest missed protocol, an unexpected miscue or even a bit of saliva left on a fork.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 27, 2026
Jamie Overton's hitting meant 20 were needed off the final over, but his miscue to cover left England 252 all out.
From BBC ● Jan. 22, 2026
The slightest miscue by any one of them would mean catching a crab, and catastrophe.
From "The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics" by Daniel James Brown
Shimron Hetmyer was dropped at mid-on by Corbin Bosch off the next delivery, but lasted only two more when he miscued to midwicket where Maharaj snapped up the catch.
From Barron's ● Feb. 26, 2026
Looking for his first boundary from his fourth ball, he miscued a length ball in the off-stump channel to mid-off.
From BBC ● Feb. 19, 2026
Smith had 60 when he miscued Mitchell Starc.
From BBC ● Dec. 20, 2025
Starc eventually miscued Carse to mid-off, but England's torture continued with seven overs of Boland and Brendan Doggett together.
From BBC ● Dec. 6, 2025
And Copley—Simon judged others by himself—would be sure to make the most of his grievance with her over a parental stratagem that had miscued!
From The Monk of Hambleton by Livingston, Armstrong
Captain Buttler threatened a successful rebuild before miscuing on 52, leaving Jacob Bethell to bat with the lower order.
From BBC ● Feb. 6, 2025
Declan Rice, possibly West Ham’s best player this season, was at fault for the equalizer after miscuing his attempted headed clearance from a cross into the center of the area.
From Seattle Times ● Feb. 19, 2022
Livingston failed to muster a shot on target, with Ayo Obileye horribly miscuing a free header in the first half.
From BBC ● Jul. 31, 2021
Vilas c Moeen b Broad 26, South Africa 225-7 Vilas goes, holing out to Moeen on the backward square leg boundary after miscuing a shorter ball.
From The Guardian ● Jan. 14, 2016
Vilas goes, holing out to Moeen on the backward square leg boundary after miscuing a shorter ball.
From The Guardian ● Jan. 14, 2016
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.
