verb · 2 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
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Received-Pronunciation:/mɪskənˈstɹuː/
Mid-Atlantic, US:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
CMU ARPABET:M IH0 S K AH0 N S T R UW1
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
verb
Meaning 1
To interpret erroneously, to understand incorrectly; to misunderstand.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: transitive
Examples
His words were misconstrued as an insult.
It’s easy to misconstrue her silence as agreement.
misconstrue the meaning
misconstrue someone’s intentions
misconstrue remarks
1975: Paul Simon, 50 Ways to Leave Your Lover from the album Still Crazy after All These Years. [...] furthermore, I hope my meaning won’t be lost or misconstrued [...]
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
verb
Meaning 2
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: misinterpret, misconceive, misunderstand, misapprehend, be amiss
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: interpret, construe, see
History
Etymology
From Middle English misconstruen, equivalent to mis- + construe.
Across languages
Translations
18 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Bulgarian:
разбирам погрешно
(razbiram pogrešno)
— to interpret erroneously
Chinese Mandarin:
誤會 /误会
(wùhuì)
— to interpret erroneously
Chinese Mandarin:
誤解 /误解
(wùjiě)
— to interpret erroneously
Dutch:
misverstaan
— to interpret erroneously
Dutch:
verkeerd interpreteren
— to interpret erroneously
Finnish:
tulkita väärin
— to interpret erroneously
Finnish:
ymmärtää väärin
— to interpret erroneously
German:
fehldeuten
— to interpret erroneously
German:
falsch deuten
— to interpret erroneously
German:
falsch interpretieren
— to interpret erroneously
Greek:
παρερμηνεύω
(parerminévo)
— to interpret erroneously
Hungarian:
félreértelmez
— to interpret erroneously
Norwegian:
feiltolke
— to interpret erroneously
Russian:
неправильно понять
(nepravilʹno ponjatʹ)
— to interpret erroneously
Russian:
ошибочно истолковать
(ošibočno istolkovatʹ)
— to interpret erroneously
Spanish:
malinterpretar
— to interpret erroneously
