misguided
Americanadjective
adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of misguided
Explanation
A misguided decision is one that's made without good judgment and careful thought. It would be misguided to think you could write your entire term paper in one night, or to climb into the polar bear exhibit at the zoo for a better look at them. Misguided is a polite way to say "a really dumb decision or belief." Your choice to go swimming in the ocean during a hurricane would definitely be considered misguided, and so would your decision to join the mountain climbing team if you are afraid of heights. Both are examples of unwise choices made after not enough deliberation. Misguided uses the prefix mis-, "bad or wrong," and guided, or "directed."
Vocabulary lists containing misguided
Florida's B.E.S.T. Common Prefixes: mis-
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"Should Communities Set Teen Curfews?" and "Curfews: A National Debate"
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mis-
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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.
Peter Wittig, a former German ambassador to the U.S., believes such a radical step would be misguided.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 18, 2026
The war in Iraq was a tragically misguided venture that tested the Western alliance more than 20 years ago.
From Salon ● Sep. 17, 2026
Recent calls from artificial-intelligence leaders to slow the technology’s development have rippled through the stock market — and Wall Street’s early reactions may be misguided.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 15, 2026
Scientists have described the UKRI's decision as "heartbreaking" and "scientifically misguided".
From BBC ● Sep. 1, 2026
Alice turned and walked back to the cluster of stalls, her gait dainty and contrived, as though a misguided person had taught her how to walk “like a lady.”
From "Half of a Yellow Sun" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
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.
