Mislead
/ˌmɪsˈliːd/
Definitions
2 meaningsTo cause someone to have the wrong idea or impression; to deceive.
/ˌmɪsˈliːd/
To cause someone to have a wrong idea or impression.
The company's advertising campaign was designed to mislead consumers about the product's effectiveness.
💡 Simply: Imagine you're trying to tell your friend the way to a party, but you accidentally give them the wrong directions. That's misleading! You're unintentionally giving someone the wrong information and leading them astray.
👶 For kids: To trick someone into thinking something is true when it's not.
More Examples
He deliberately misled his colleagues to gain an advantage.
The confusing instructions could easily mislead anyone trying to assemble the furniture.
How It's Used
"The politician was accused of misleading the public about his involvement in the scandal."
"Witnesses who intentionally mislead the court can face legal consequences."
"Sensationalized headlines often mislead readers about the true nature of a story."
To guide someone in the wrong direction; to lead astray.
/ˌmɪsˈliːd/
To cause to take the wrong course or path.
The incorrect signpost misled us, and we ended up miles from our destination.
💡 Simply: Imagine a GPS that gives you the wrong directions and sends you way off course. To mislead is to take someone down the wrong path—whether literally or figuratively.
👶 For kids: To show someone the wrong way.
More Examples
Bad advice can often mislead people.
The confusing instructions misled the assembly line worker, resulting in defective products.
How It's Used
"The faulty map misled the hikers, causing them to become lost in the wilderness."
"His initial statement misled everyone about the real plan."
Synonyms
Idioms & expressions
mislead someone down the garden path
To deceive someone into believing something that is not true, especially for a short time.
"The con artist misled the investors down the garden path with false promises of high returns."
From Middle English *misleden*, from Old English *mislǣdan* ('to lead astray'), from *mis-* (mis-) + *lǣdan* (lead).
Historically, 'mislead' has been used in both literal and figurative senses, denoting both physical misdirection and deception.
Memory tip
Think of a sheepdog leading a flock. To MISLEAD is to intentionally direct someone down the WRONG path, causing confusion and error.