verb
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to put (something) in the wrong place, esp to lose (something) temporarily by forgetting where it was placed; mislay
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(often passive) to bestow (trust, confidence, affection, etc) unadvisedly
Related Words
See displace.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of misplace
Explanation
When you misplace your car keys, you can't remember where you put them. In other words, you temporarily lose them. You can use the verb misplace when you can't find something. If you misplace your favorite coffee cup, you'll be annoyed, but if you misplace your wallet it could cause you real problems. The word implies that the object isn't gone for good, but that you unthinkingly put it down somewhere. When you combine the prefix mis-, which means "bad or wrong," and place, you get misplace — as in placing something in a bad spot!
Vocabulary lists containing misplace
Talk Like Shakespeare Day, List 1
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Keystone Exams: English Composition Glossary
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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.
Just as robots can misplace blocks, chatbots can generate false or misleading outputs.
From Science Daily • Apr. 5, 2026
At half-time his passing accuracy at 84% was only behind Vinicius for Real players, but in the second half he did not misplace a pass.
From BBC • Jun. 18, 2025
It’s proof that the 20-time Grammy winner, who settles in for eight solo shows at Seattle’s downtown jazz mecca, can misplace more gems than most mortals will ever lay down.
From Seattle Times • Oct. 20, 2023
Attach one of these tags to your checked baggage, backpack, keys or car, and you’re less likely to misplace them.
From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 2, 2022
“Do let me know if you misplace that precious souvenir again. I have eyes everywhere, all the time.”
From "Internment" by Samira Ahmed
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.
