Standard Lemma guide

misconceive

verb · 3 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • US: /ˌmɪskənˈsiːv/
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • CMU ARPABET: M IH0 S K AH0 N S IY1 V Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

verb

Meaning 1

To misunderstand.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • 1694, William Congreve, The Double-Dealer Nay, misconceive me not, madam, when I say I have had a gen'rous and a faithful passion, which you had never favoured, but through revenge and policy.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

verb

Meaning 2

To judge or plan badly, typically on the basis of faulty misunderstanding.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

verb

Meaning 3

interpret in the wrong way

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • Don't misinterpret my comments as criticism
  • She misconstrued my remarks

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: misconstrue, misinterpret, misunderstand, misapprehend, be amiss

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: interpret, construe, see

History

Etymology

From Middle English misconceiven, equivalent to mis- + conceive.