What does "mislead" mean?
A wrong or bad lead; a leading in the wrong direction.
Mislead
/mɪsˈliːd/ noun, verb
noun, verb ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A wrong or bad lead; a leading in the wrong direction.
- Grammar: mislead is listed as noun, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: misdirect, misguide, misinform, abuse.
- Useful contrasts: blue cue, brief physics guide, clear goals.
- Usage evidence: I won’t mislead you, I won’t betray you, I won't shirk!
How to use "mislead"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "mislead" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "mislead" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "mislead" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "mislead" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "mislead" is acting as noun, verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "misdirect" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "mislead", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A wrong or bad lead; a leading in the wrong direction. countable, transitive, uncountable
"If all the misleads (incorrect alternatives) are illogical, absurd, or in any way unattractive as possible answers, the student has no difficulty in choosing the correct answer."
- 2 That which is deceptive or untruthful (e.g. a falsehood, deception, untruth, or ruse). countable, transitive
"The skinny body, a mislead to make people think that he was captured by someone and tortured. Even the loud gunshot was a mislead to make them ask questions to common citizens. His long untidy hair, also a mislead."
Verb
- 1 To lead astray, in a false direction. literally, transitive
"City of the dead / At the end of another lost highway / Signs misleading to nowhere"
- 2 give false or misleading information to wordnet
- 3 To deceive by telling lies or otherwise giving a false impression. transitive
- 4 lead someone in the wrong direction or give someone wrong directions wordnet
- 5 To deceptively trick into something wrong. transitive
"The preacher elaborated Satan's ways to mislead us into sin"
Show 1 more definition
- 6 To accidentally or intentionally confuse. broadly, transitive
Antonyms
blue cuebrief physics guideclear goalsconspicuous cue
Example
"I won’t mislead you, I won’t betray you, I won't shirk!"
Common questions
What is a synonym for "mislead"?
Common synonyms include: misdirect, misguide, misinform, abuse, balks, bamboozle.
How do you use "mislead" in a sentence?
I won’t mislead you, I won’t betray you, I won't shirk!
How do you pronounce "mislead"?
Pronounced /mɪsˈliːd/.
Etymology
From Middle English mysleden, from Old English mislǣdan (“to mislead”), from Proto-Germanic *missalaidijaną (“to mislead”). By surface analysis, mis- + lead.