misread

verb

mis·​read ˌmis-ˈrēd How to pronounce misread (audio)
misread ˌmis-ˈred How to pronounce misread (audio) ; misreading ˌmis-ˈrē-diŋ How to pronounce misread (audio)
Synonyms of misreadnext

transitive verb

1
: to read incorrectly
2
: to misinterpret in or as if in reading
… totally misread the lesson of history …—Christopher Hollis

Synonyms of misread

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Examples of misread in a Sentence

I guess I misread the instructions. They have misread the lessons of the past. Politicians may have misread the mood of the public. I badly misread the situation.
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.
Officials said the department has reported no instances of misuse under its current auditing practices, although 71% of camera alerts involved misread license plates. — Nicole Buss, Sacbee.com, 22 Oct. 2026 Hope springs eternal though when Ali G misreads a message from an Elvis impersonator named Rocky (Clive Russell) who needs to talk to him ASAP. — Pete Hammond, Deadline, 22 Oct. 2026 Actions by either side that are intended as limited coercion, signaling, or leverage might be misread, thus triggering a self-reinforcing action-reaction cycle in which each side’s effort to restore deterrence instead erodes it. — Dmitry Adamsky, Foreign Affairs, 21 Oct. 2026 That’s also another beat in the documentary where Evans and Holmes seem to misread or misunderstand popular culture, humor, or art. — Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 17 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for misread

Word History

First Known Use

1658, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of misread was in 1658

Rhymes for misread

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Browse Nearby Words

Mişrātah
misread
misreckon
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Cite this Entry

“Misread.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/misread. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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Kids Definition

misread

verb
mis·​read (ˈ)mis-ˈrēd How to pronounce misread (audio)
misread -ˈred How to pronounce misread (audio) ; misreading -ˈrēd-iŋ How to pronounce misread (audio)
1
: to read incorrectly
2
: to misinterpret in or as if in reading
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