misinterpretation

noun

mis·​in·​ter·​pre·​ta·​tion ˌmi-sᵊn-ˌtər-prə-ˈtā-shən 

-pə-

plural misinterpretations

: failure to understand or interpret something correctly

an error caused by misinterpretation of the rules

: a mistaken interpretation

… it soon becomes obvious to workers in the field that misunderstandings and misinterpretations of conventional terms seriously interfere with scholarly communication.

—Juergan Eichhoff

Synonyms

• incomprehension
• misapprehension
• misconstruction
• misconstruing
• misimpression
• misknowledge
• misreading
• misunderstanding

Examples of misinterpretation in a Sentence

his misinterpretation of the ambiguously worded instructions was hardly his fault

Recent Examples on the Web

How can counsel narrow and limit the guarantor’s risks, to prevent any possibility of misinterpretation? —Joshua Stein, Forbes, 15 Mar. 2025

Gathering more personal information on immigrants could be crucial in identifying national security risks, but civil rights experts are warning that a misinterpretation of a post could lead to detention or denial of an application. —Russel Honoré, Newsweek, 6 Mar. 2025

The Associated Press has debunked similar claims from Trump and Musk, finding a misinterpretation of data in Social Security’s software systems. —Jonathan Shorman, Kansas City Star, 6 Mar. 2025

Intentional misinterpretation of these observations on educational attainment have led some to conclude that Black students are simply not as intelligent as their white counterparts. —Shoumita Dasgupta, The Conversation, 13 Jan. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1538, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for misinterpretation

• acclimatisation
• acclimatization
• acidification
• actualization
• annualization
• autocorrelation
• autoregulation
• beatification
• beneficiation
• biodegradation
• biotransformation
• bureaucratization