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Synonyms

misread

American  
[mis-reed] / mɪsˈrid /

verb (used with or without object)

misreads, present (3rd person singular) misread, past participle, past misreading present participle
  1. to read wrongly.

  2. to misunderstand or misinterpret.


misread British  
/ ˌmɪsˈriːd /

verb

  1. to read incorrectly

  2. to misinterpret

"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

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Etymology

Origin of misread

First recorded in 1800–10; mis- 1 + read 1

Explanation

To misread something is to read it but understand it in the wrong way. If you misread an article about local politics, you might end up supporting a candidate whose views you don't actually agree with. When you interpret a book, online article, or magazine story incorrectly, you misread it. You can also misread people, when you don't understand how they feel or what they intend: "She tended to misread cranky customers at the coffee shop, thinking they were joking when they were actually angry about something." The prefix mis- means "bad" or "wrong," and read can mean both "comprehend printed matter" or "make out a person's character."

Keep Reading on Vocabulary.com

Vocabulary lists containing misread

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:

Human-like machines may appear familiar and trustworthy as their civilian use grows, increasing the risk people misread danger.

From BBC Jun. 8, 2026

A temporary panic flared up in May when many observers misread options activity on a filing and concluded Aschenbrenner turned bearish.

From The Wall Street Journal Jun. 8, 2026

The machines still stumble, pause, misread objects and often work best in controlled environments.

From MarketWatch May 27, 2026

In the fifth, Jung Hoo Lee hit an inside-the-park home run when Hernández misread the ball off the left-field wall in foul territory, allowing the ball to roll past him.

From Los Angeles Times May 15, 2026

A lot of his time was spent denying it, convincing himself he misread Hunter’s words and most of all his look.

From "Jazz" by Toni Morrison

But Mr. Ferguson misreads the law in going after NewsGuard, a private outfit.

From The Wall Street Journal Feb. 12, 2026

He misreads my face and says, “Try to remember that tennis is play! Just relax and don’t think.”

From Los Angeles Times Nov. 15, 2024

It did not help that a couple of misreads meant he did not get to one through ball and Alejandro Garnacho failed to react to one of his.

From BBC Dec. 9, 2023

“There were some misreads and misfires by me. Just been working on that stuff as much as possible,” Zappe said.

From Washington Times Dec. 5, 2023

Soojin quickly glances at me, but either misreads my face or ignores it.

From "Amina's Voice" by Hena Khan

Beyond this dispute, there sits a fundamental misreading by each side of its enemy.

From BBC Jul. 14, 2026

But that base may be fully misreading the situation.

From Slate Apr. 9, 2026

To say Iran is sitting pretty would be a misreading.

From The Wall Street Journal Apr. 8, 2026

For investors, the risk lies in misreading this moment as cyclical belt-tightening rather than structural repositioning.

From Barron's Mar. 7, 2026

Then, there were indications she was misreading the actual size of the islands.

From "Native Speaker" by Chang-rae Lee

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