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Showing results for misleading. Search instead for miscoding.
Synonyms

misleading

American  
[mis-lee-ding] / mɪsˈli dɪŋ /

adjective

  1. deceptive; tending to mislead.

misleading British  
/ mɪsˈliːdɪŋ /

adjective

  1. tending to confuse or mislead; deceptive

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

  • misleadingly adverb
  • misleadingness noun

Etymology

Origin of misleading

First recorded in 1630–40; mislead + -ing 2

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The comments, which circulated widely online, drew sharp responses from historians and legal scholars who rejected the comparison as inaccurate and misleading.

From Salon • Apr. 18, 2026

The article also included a statement from Steven Ginsberg, executive editor of the Athletic, who expressed full support of Russini and said the photos “are misleading and lack essential context.”

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 14, 2026

Trevor Milton, founder of the electric truck manufacturer Nikola, was convicted of misleading investors in 2022, presaging Nikola’s bankruptcy last year.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 5, 2026

The operator described the allegations about contracts and fees as "incorrect and misleading".

From BBC • Apr. 5, 2026

Pictures could be flat-out lies, yes, but what she was really thinking was that pictures could be misleading.

From "Pet" by Akwaeke Emezi

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.