Synonyms

misinterpret

American

[mis-in-tur-prit] / ˌmɪs ɪnˈtɜr prɪt /

verb (used with or without object)

to interpret, explain, or understand incorrectly.

misinterpret British

/ ˌmɪsɪnˈtɜːprɪt /

verb

(tr) to interpret badly, misleadingly, or incorrectly

"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

Other Word Forms

misinterpretable adjective
misinterpretation noun
misinterpreter noun
unmisinterpretable adjective

Etymology

Origin of misinterpret

First recorded in 1580–90; mis- ¹ + interpret

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.

"Without accurate assessment tools, policymakers, developers and users risk misinterpreting what AI systems can actually do," he said.

From Science Daily

In the first letter, he said his words were "misunderstood and misinterpreted by some media organisations", but in the second he acknowledged they were "inappropriate and fell below the standard expected".

From BBC

“Users may misinterpret AI-generated content as expert guidance,” they wrote, “potentially resulting in delayed treatment, inappropriate self-care, or misplaced trust in non-validated information.”

From Los Angeles Times

Bentley introduced a detective who misinterprets the clues made available to the reader; his solution is proven wrong even though the same clues yield the correct answer.

From The Wall Street Journal

A smile thrown in her direction during a parade honoring a visiting king and his princess daughter, a marvelously flighty Miriam Hopkins, almost causes an international incident after the gesture is misinterpreted.

From The Wall Street Journal

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