misclassify

verb

mis·​clas·​si·​fy ˌmis-ˈkla-sə-ˌfī How to pronounce misclassify (audio)
misclassified; misclassifying

transitive verb

: to assign (someone or something) to an incorrect group or category : to classify wrongly
a species misclassified in the wrong genus
misclassified adjective
misclassified workers/employees

Examples of misclassify in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Industries with high injury rates also drive up workers’ compensation insurance premiums, which can incentivize companies to misclassify workers as independent contractors and deny them workers’ compensation if they get injured on the job, the analysis said. Jenny Gathright, Washington Post, 18 June 2024 Construction companies sometimes misclassify their employees as independent contractors. Ames Alexander, Charlotte Observer, 14 May 2024 In 2013, two corporate executives were ordered to spend four to six months in jail for falsifying records to misclassify their salaries as expenses under their employer's larger bribery and fraud scheme. Aysha Bagchi, USA TODAY, 11 Apr. 2024 Under the policy, the Labor Department can take action against companies that misclassify their workers. Tony Romm, Washington Post, 5 Mar. 2024 See all Example Sentences for misclassify 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'misclassify.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1874, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of misclassify was in 1874

Dictionary Entries Near misclassify

Cite this Entry

“Misclassify.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/misclassify. Accessed 4 Nov. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on misclassify

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!