Standard Lemma guide

misplace

verb · 5 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.

  • /mɪsˈpleɪs/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • rhymes with -eɪs
  • CMU ARPABET: M IH0 S P L EY1 S Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

verb

Meaning 1

To put something somewhere and then forget its location; to mislay.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

Examples

  • I might have misplaced my umbrella; do you know where it is?

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

verb

Meaning 2

To apply one's talents inappropriately.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: figuratively

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

verb

Meaning 3

To put something in the wrong location.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

verb

Meaning 4

place or position wrongly; put in the wrong position

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • misplaced modifiers

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: put, set, place, pose, position, lay

5

verb

Meaning 5

place (something) where one cannot find it again

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • I misplaced my eyeglasses

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: mislay, lose

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: put, set, place, pose, position, lay

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 place English misplace From mis- + place.

Across languages

Translations

40 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Arabic: ضيع (ḍayyaʕ) — to put something somewhere and then forget its location
  • Bulgarian: забутвам (zabutvam) — to put something somewhere and then forget its location
  • Catalan: perdre — to put something somewhere and then forget its location
  • Chinese Mandarin: 擱忘 /搁忘 (gēwàng) — to put something somewhere and then forget its location
  • Chinese Mandarin: 誤放 /误放 (wùfàng) — to put something somewhere and then forget its location
  • Crimean Tatar: coytmaq — to put something somewhere and then forget its location
  • Czech: založit — to put something somewhere and then forget its location
  • Czech: zašantročit — to put something somewhere and then forget its location
  • Dutch: misleggen — to put something somewhere and then forget its location
  • Finnish: kadottaa — to put something somewhere and then forget its location
  • Finnish: hukata — to put something somewhere and then forget its location
  • French: égarer — to put something somewhere and then forget its location
  • German: verlegen — to put something somewhere and then forget its location
  • Greek: παραπετώ (parapetó) — to put something somewhere and then forget its location
  • Hungarian: elkever — to put something somewhere and then forget its location
  • Hungarian: elhány — to put something somewhere and then forget its location
  • Hungarian: elkeveredik nála — to put something somewhere and then forget its location
  • Hungarian: elhagy — to put something somewhere and then forget its location
  • Hungarian: elveszít — to put something somewhere and then forget its location
  • Hungarian: elszór — to put something somewhere and then forget its location
  • Italian: smarrire — to put something somewhere and then forget its location
  • Japanese: 置き忘れる (okiwasureru) — to put something somewhere and then forget its location
  • Latin: āmittō — to put something somewhere and then forget its location
  • Khiamniungan Naga: thāngvā — to put something somewhere and then forget its location
  • Norwegian: forlegge — to put something somewhere and then forget its location
  • Polish: zgubić — to put something somewhere and then forget its location
  • Polish: zagubić — to put something somewhere and then forget its location
  • Polish: zapodziać — to put something somewhere and then forget its location
  • Portuguese: perder — to put something somewhere and then forget its location
  • Russian: заложи́ть (založítʹ) — to put something somewhere and then forget its location
  • Russian: затеря́ть (zaterjátʹ) — to put something somewhere and then forget its location
  • Russian: засу́нуть (zasúnutʹ) — to put something somewhere and then forget its location
  • Spanish: extraviar — to put something somewhere and then forget its location
  • Spanish: traspapelar — to put something somewhere and then forget its location
  • Swedish: förlägga — to put something somewhere and then forget its location
  • Urdu: گمانا (gumānā) — to put something somewhere and then forget its location
  • Urdu: گَن٘وانا (ganvānā) — to put something somewhere and then forget its location
  • Venetan: pèrdar — to put something somewhere and then forget its location
  • Norwegian: misforstå — to apply one's talents inappropriately
  • Spanish: asignar malamente — to apply one's talents inappropriately