Misleading

Definition

Misleading refers to causing one to have a wrong idea or impression about someone or something.

Parts of Speech

• Adjective
• Verb (present participle of "mislead")

Pronunciation

American English

• IPA Pronunciation: /mɪsˈlidɪŋ/
• Respelling: mis-LEE-ding (with "mis" as in "miss," "LEE" as in "see," and "ding" as in "sing")

British English

• IPA Pronunciation: /mɪsˈliːdɪŋ/
• Respelling: mis-LEE-ding (with "mis" as in "miss," "LEE" as in "see," and "ding" as in "sing")

In both dialects, "misleading" places the primary stress on the second syllable, "LEE." The pronunciation is the same across both American and British English, focusing on the clear articulation of "mis-LEE-ding."

Etymology

The term "misleading" is derived from the prefix "mis-", meaning wrongly or badly, and "lead", which means to guide or direct.

Derivatives

• Mislead
• Misleader
• Misleadingly
• Misleadable
• Misled (past tense of "mislead")

Synonyms

• Deceptive
• Fallacious
• Erroneous

Antonyms

• Truthful
• Accurate
• Transparent

Usage

"Misleading" is often used to describe information, statements, or representations that do not present the whole truth or that are meant to deceive.

• The advertisement was found to be misleading and was taken down.
• His misleading comments caused a lot of confusion.

Related Terms

• Deception
• Illusion
• Distortion
• Fabrication
• Misinterpretation

Detailed Definition

Adjective

• Giving the Wrong Idea or Impression: Serving to lead someone in the wrong direction or give them a wrong impression.‍
• Example: The title of the article was misleading; its content was entirely different.

Verb (present participle of "mislead")

• Lead (Someone) Astray: To cause someone to have a wrong idea or impression about someone or something.‍
• Example: She felt that he was trying to mislead her with false promises.