misconception

noun

mis·​con·​cep·​tion ˌmis-kən-ˈsep-shən How to pronounce misconception (audio)
plural misconceptions
: a wrong or inaccurate idea or conception
a common/popular misconception
There's this misconception that you get famous and everything is perfect.Chris Daughtry
The new name, along with more stringent criteria for diagnosing the disorder, represents an attempt to clear up misconceptions about the disorder and to have it taken more seriously by psychiatrists as well as the courts.Janny Scott
Many gardeners are under the misconception [=have the mistaken idea] that bamboos grow only in mild climates.Nan Sterman
… artists, writers, and musicians who labor under the misconception that it's possible to come up with something new under the sun …Simon Reynolds

Examples of misconception in a Sentence

it is a popular misconception that the Great Wall of China is visible from outer space
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.
Trump’s misguided belief that inside of every Canadian there is an American waiting to get out is a misconception that is actually older than the U.S. itself. Lawrence B.a. Hatter / Made By History, TIME, 4 Feb. 2025 Choi says there's a misconception that only a certain type of skin can achieve this look. Olivia Munson, USA TODAY, 2 Feb. 2025 Because Black people were at the forefront of the civil rights movement, there is a misconception that DEI and affirmative action was meant only for their benefit, Bennett says. Raisa Habersham, Miami Herald, 1 Feb. 2025 Related article Forget crunches: The smarter way to strengthen your core A common misconception is that bone density preservation is only tied to lifting weights, according to Faubion. Dana Santas, CNN, 29 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for misconception 

Word History

First Known Use

1614, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of misconception was in 1614

Dictionary Entries Near misconception

Cite this Entry

“Misconception.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/misconception. Accessed 8 Feb. 2025.

Kids Definition

misconception

noun
mis·​con·​cep·​tion
ˌmis-kən-ˈsep-shən
: a wrong or mistaken idea

More from Merriam-Webster on misconception

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