miscue

1 of 2

noun

mis·​cue ˌmis-ˈkyü How to pronounce miscue (audio)
ˈmis-ˌkyü
Synonyms of miscuenext
1
: a faulty stroke in billiards in which the cue slips
2
: mistake, slip

miscue

2 of 2

verb

miscued; miscuing; miscues

intransitive verb

: to make a miscue

Synonyms of miscue

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Noun

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Examples of miscue in a Sentence

Noun the slightest miscue could make the trapeze artist lose his grip and fall to the mat below
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
His late-game miscues proved costly in the series. — Peter Sblendorio, New York Daily News, 14 June 2026 Instead, a rare infield miscue led to two more runs and that proved too big of an obstacle to overcome. — Steve Brand, San Diego Union-Tribune, 2 June 2026
Verb
Kokcu miscued his shot but Akturkoglu stole in at the backpost to score. — Anantaajith Raghuraman, New York Times, 31 Mar. 2026 This wayward pass from Burn was presumably intended for right-back Tino Livramento, but was miscued and trickled out of play. — Michael Cox, The Athletic, 19 Jan. 2025 See All Example Sentences for miscue

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1838, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1889, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of miscue was in 1838

Rhymes for miscue

See All Rhymes for miscue

Browse Nearby Words

miscreed
miscue
miscut
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Miscue.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/miscue. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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Kids Definition

miscue

1 of 2 noun
mis·​cue (ˈ)mis-ˈkyü How to pronounce miscue (audio)
1
: a faulty stroke in billiards in which the cue slips
2
: mistake entry 2 sense 2, slip

miscue

2 of 2 verb
1
: to make a miscue
2
a
: to miss a stage cue
b
: to answer a wrong cue

More from Merriam-Webster on miscue

Nglish: Translation of miscue for Spanish Speakers

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