misjudge

American

[mis-juhj] / mɪsˈdʒʌdʒ /

verb (used with or without object)

misjudged, misjudging

to judge, estimate, or value wrongly or unjustly.

misjudge British

/ ˌmɪsˈdʒʌdʒ /

verb

to judge (a person or persons) wrongly or unfairly

"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

misjudger noun
misjudgingly adverb
misjudgment noun

Etymology

Origin of misjudge

First recorded in 1525–35; mis- ¹ + judge

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.

When central bankers misjudge the moment, markets adjust quickly, and policy makers are forced to follow.

From MarketWatch • Feb. 9, 2026

Without accounting for this process, models may misjudge how carbon moves through the ocean and how the system responds to environmental stress.

From Science Daily • Feb. 8, 2026

Title rivals and McLaren team-mates Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri came to blows for the first time as the Briton appeared to misjudge a passing attempt in the Canadian Grand Prix.

From BBC • Jun. 15, 2025

Angelica is interesting because the sisters really misjudge her.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 23, 2024

This type of phenomenon has been described in the psychological literature as pluralistic ignorance, in which people misjudge the norm.

From "The New Jim Crow" by Michelle Alexander

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