misplace

[ mis-pleys ]

verb (used with object)

, mis·placed, mis·plac·ing.

1. to put in a wrong place.
2. to put in a place afterward forgotten; lose; mislay.
3. to place or bestow improperly, unsuitably, or unwisely:

   to misplace one's trust.

   Synonyms: misapply

misplace

/ ˌmɪsˈpleɪs /

verb

1. to put (something) in the wrong place, esp to lose (something) temporarily by forgetting where it was placed; mislay
2. often passive to bestow (trust, confidence, affection, etc) unadvisedly

Derived Forms

• ˌmisˈplacement, noun

Other Words From

• mis·placement noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of misplace¹

First recorded in 1545–55; mis- ¹ + place

Synonym Study

See displace.

Example Sentences

It is a worrying thing to misplace your kneecap.

From BBC

And hardly a day has passed since when that question hasn’t been darting around the edge of my mind, flaring ridiculously into view every time I misplace a word, a name or a pair of glasses.

From BBC

But James also at times has seemed to misplace his flair, especially last season, as he struggled along with the rest of the secondary in the often chaotic and mismanaged system of former head coach Brandon Staley.

From Los Angeles Times

The neurodevelopmental condition often means people have trouble paying attention to details and may regularly misplace or lose items causing additional expenditure.

From BBC

His propensity to misplace passes ultimately proved costly as Rashford celebrated an equaliser where the blame lay squarely at his door.

From BBC

Related Words

• confuse
• disorganize
• disturb
• unsettle