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misgender

American  
[mis-jen-der] / mɪsˈdʒɛn dər /

verb (used with object)

misgenders, present (3rd person singular) misgendered, past, past participle misgendering present participle
  1. to refer to or address (a person, especially one who is transgender) with a pronoun, noun, or adjective that inaccurately represents the person's gender or gender identity.

    At first my teacher misgendered me.


Other Word Forms

Inflected Forms

Participles

Conjugated Forms

Present

Past

Future

Etymology

Origin of misgender

mis- 1 ( def. ) + gender 1 ( def. )

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:

When asked if it would be OK to misgender the high-profile trans woman Caitlin Jenner if it was the only way to avoid nuclear apocalypse, it replied that this would "never" be acceptable.

From BBC Feb. 27, 2024

“I would let folks misgender, me and I would let it slide because I was afraid to hold space.”

From Los Angeles Times Jan. 5, 2023

"Nobody should have to misgender themselves in order to book a flight," Wyden wrote.

From Reuters Jul. 1, 2022

I don’t worry about being judged for sharing my pronouns or correcting others when they misgender me.

From Seattle Times May 1, 2022

Nor do I think you should launch into a lengthy explanation or attempted justification when you accidentally misgender them or use their deadname.

From Slate Aug. 4, 2021

Hunter Schafer, the trans performer nominated for her lead performance in “Cuckoo,” revealed this week that her newly-issued passport misgenders her.

From Los Angeles Times Feb. 23, 2025

As a running gag in one episode, he’s called to add cash to the “Pronoun Jar” whenever he misgenders or deadnames his daughter.

From Los Angeles Times Feb. 5, 2025

My 3-year-old consistently misgenders his beloved preschool teacher, “Miss Angela.”

From Slate Mar. 22, 2021

When she misgenders the dog she shares with Gabby, Gabby barely bats an eye.

From Slate Dec. 4, 2020

You hosted a CBC documentary about nonbinary identity recently, it must be disheartening to see people here getting their passports forcibly misgendered.

From Los Angeles Times Feb. 25, 2025

Interestingly enough, Gladstone said that other Indigenous people from different tribes have spoken to her in English, they have accidentally misgendered her.

From Salon Jan. 9, 2024

Archie is always their first point of call, whether they are struggling with gender dysphoria or having to deal with being misgendered by others.

From BBC Dec. 27, 2023

“I don’t want my friends to be misgendered and deadnamed every single day just because they don’t want to come out to their parents,” Leo said.

From Washington Times Jun. 7, 2023

It’s a landmark moment for Broadway, allowing a nonbinary main character to talk about being misgendered and what it’s like to date while trans.

From Seattle Times Dec. 13, 2022

She was accused of misconduct, failures of patient care and misgendering Dr Upton.

From BBC Jul. 17, 2025

You’re worried you’re going to offend somebody by misgendering them completely innocently.

From New York Times Jun. 14, 2023

That’s known as misgendering - using pronouns that don’t match a person’s gender identity.

From Washington Times Apr. 22, 2023

The company kept on is books a policy prohibiting the “targeted misgendering or deadnaming of transgender individuals,” which some transgender advocates had worried would be removed.

From Seattle Times Mar. 1, 2023

“California law prohibits intentional misgendering in the workplace,” department Director Kevin Kish said in the release.

From Los Angeles Times Feb. 14, 2023

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