misdirection
Americannoun
-
a wrong or incorrect direction, guidance, or instruction.
Unfortunately, his advice on the matter was a misdirection acted upon by numerous state leaders.
-
the use of misleading appearances or distraction to prevent detection of one’s true intent, as in a sports play, magic trick, plot twist, or wrongdoing; feint.
The film begins with a masterful bit of misdirection, which sets up our expectations only to have them upended by a surprising twist.
The media’s unveiling of a scandal at this precise moment is clearly misdirection, which serves both them and the White House well.
-
Law. an erroneous charge to the jury by a judge.
Etymology
Origin of misdirection
Explanation
If you give someone mistaken guidance or instructions, that's misdirection, like when you tell a tourist the wrong route to find a museum. Another type of misdirection is the kind magicians use when they draw your attention away from their sleight of hand. By directing an audience's focus to a magic wand waving in the air, a good magician can make it seem like a rabbit has suddenly appeared in their hat. Pickpockets use a similar kind of misdirection, steering a victim's attention away from the hand that's sliding into their pocket and grabbing their wallet.
Vocabulary lists containing misdirection
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.
"I thought con artists and trial lawyers all have skills which are perfectly allowed: misdirection, distraction, persuasion, manipulation," he said.
From BBC ● Aug. 3, 2026
In a similar statement to some US media on Thursday, Cheung said those tools included "distraction and misdirection," in an apparent reference to the plane swap.
From Barron's ● Jul. 10, 2026
The air feels fickle, almost flirtatious, as if it enjoys the misdirection.
From Salon ● Mar. 1, 2026
This is, of course, a regular feature of mysteries or else they’d all be over in five minutes, but there is an especially high level of mistakenness and misdirection here.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 8, 2026
“Think of all the misdirection they used—they probably only acted like they were fighting so you wouldn’t suspect she was the mole.”
From "Paper Towns" by John Green
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.
