Synonyms

misread

American

[mis-reed] / mɪsˈrid /

verb (used with or without object)

misread, misreading

to read wrongly.
to misunderstand or misinterpret.

misread British

/ ˌmɪsˈriːd /

verb

to read incorrectly
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

Other Word Forms

misreader noun

Etymology

Origin of misread

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

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.

I confessed to Voorhees that I completely misread the direction this country was heading back when the first Black president in history termed out in 2016.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 8, 2026

But it has become clear that he misread the sentiments of the American people.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 17, 2026

He initially tried to explain the incorrect date by claiming someone had misread his handwriting.

From BBC • Feb. 17, 2026

This kind of inward distancing is a habit learned by those who move through the world knowing they may be misread or made to stand in for something larger or other than themselves.

From Salon • Dec. 21, 2025

Maybe I misread and he didn’t skip a grade and is coming next fall?

From "I'll Give You the Sun" by Jandy Nelson

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