misrepresentation

American  

[mis-rep-ri-zen-tey-shuhn] / ˌmɪs rɛp rɪˌzɛnˈteɪ ʃən /

noun

1. the act or state of being represented incorrectly, improperly, falsely, or unsatisfactorily.

   Your degree may be revoked if fraud, misrepresentation, or other violations of university standards are found to have occurred.

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Other Word Forms

• premisrepresentation noun

Etymology

Origin of misrepresentation

mis- ¹ ( def. ) + represent ( def. )

Explanation

A misrepresentation is when you misrepresent, or lie about, something that happened. If you say you were the quarter back of the football team but really you were the mascot, that’s a misrepresentation. A misrepresentation is a misstatement of the facts. It’s more than casting a different light on something; it’s deceptive and untrue. It’s a misrepresentation to tell your parents you went to the principal’s office to talk about books if you really got sent there for talking in class. Misrepresentations are deliberately misleading. They’re lies.

Example Sentences

The trick is to make truthful revelation the rational choice and misrepresentation unprofitable.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 20, 2026

Ramadan Tent Project said Badenoch's comments were a "gross misrepresentation" of the gathering and "totally untrue".

From BBC • Mar. 19, 2026

Quantum Computing faces scrutiny from short sellers regarding product misrepresentation and has a history of business transformations.

From Barron's • Mar. 2, 2026

As is sometimes the case with Bessent, there’s a tiny nugget of truth in his words, surrounded by a bodyguard of misrepresentation.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 19, 2025

Most important, from the point of view of the friendship, Jefferson admitted that his behind-the-scenes criticism of Adams had been a willful misrepresentation.

From "Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation" by Joseph J. Ellis

Related Words

• distortion
• exaggeration
• fabrication
• falsehood
• falsification
• misstatement
• untruth