Standard Lemma guide

misinform

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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  • rhymes with -ɔː(ɹ)m
  • CMU ARPABET: M IH0 S IH2 N F AO1 R M Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

verb

Meaning 1

To give or deliver false, fake, or misleading information to.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

Examples

  • It is clear that the politician misinformed the public on the issue.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: misguide, mislead, deceive

Antonyms: none provided

2

verb

Meaning 2

give false or misleading information to

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: mislead

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: inform

Narrower terms: lie, beat around the bush, equivocate, tergiversate, prevaricate, palter, overstate, exaggerate, overdraw, hyperbolize, hyperbolise, magnify, amplify, sandbag, deceive, betray, lead astray

History

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *mey-? Proto-Indo-European *meyth2-der. Proto-Germanic *missaz Proto-Germanic *missa- Proto-West Germanic *missa- Old English mis- Middle English mys- English mis- English inform English misinform From mis- + inform.

Across languages

Translations

18 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: дезинформи́рам (dezinformíram) — give or deliver false, fake, or misleading information
  • Catalan: desinformar — give or deliver false, fake, or misleading information
  • Chinese Mandarin: 誤報 /误报 (wùbào) — give or deliver false, fake, or misleading information
  • Chinese Mandarin: 誤傳 /误传 (wùchuán) — give or deliver false, fake, or misleading information
  • Czech: dezinformovat — give or deliver false, fake, or misleading information
  • French: mésinformer — give or deliver false, fake, or misleading information
  • French: induire en erreur — give or deliver false, fake, or misleading information
  • French: désinformer — give or deliver false, fake, or misleading information
  • German: falsch informieren — give or deliver false, fake, or misleading information
  • Greek: παραπληροφορώ (parapliroforó) — give or deliver false, fake, or misleading information
  • Hungarian: félretájékoztat — give or deliver false, fake, or misleading information
  • Hungarian: tévesen/hibásan/rosszul tájékoztat/informál — give or deliver false, fake, or misleading information
  • Hungarian: félrevezet — give or deliver false, fake, or misleading information
  • Italian: disinformare — give or deliver false, fake, or misleading information
  • Portuguese: desinformar — give or deliver false, fake, or misleading information
  • Russian: дезинформи́ровать (dezinformírovatʹ) — give or deliver false, fake, or misleading information
  • Spanish: desinformar — give or deliver false, fake, or misleading information
  • Ukrainian: дезінформувати (dezinformuvaty) — give or deliver false, fake, or misleading information