It is not that Johnson's claim is groundless, but that it is misleading.
Source: tatoeba (52802)
Misleading
/(ˌ)mɪsˈliːdɪŋ/
Synonyms for "misleading" (192 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Closest matches (39)
Adjective(7 words)
Verb(5 words)
airyall in the mindambiguousapparentapparitionalautisticbarmecidalbarmecidebeguilingbewilderingbum steercatchychimericchimericalcollege of laputaconflictconfoundingconfusedcorruptioncounterfeit
Show 1 more word
Noun(6 words)
Strong matches (57)
deceivingdeceptivedeludingdelusionaldelusionarydelusivedelusorydereisticdeviousdisaccorddiscorddistractingdreamlikedreamydubiousequivocalerroneousevasivefallaciousfalse
Show 5 more words
Adjective(18 words)
deceptive discoursedeludedelusivedishonestdistortdiversionarydubious claimeco-friendlyfallacious reasoningfalse alibifalse assertionfalse descriptorfalse statementfalse wordingfalserfalsestfaultyfaulty wording
Noun(11 words)
disguisingdistortingdupingfallacious justificationfalsifyingfaulty generalizationflimflammingfoistinggooglyhoaxinghoodwinking
Related words (96)
Verb(8 words)
Noun(13 words)
humbugginginstinctive understandinglegal misrepresentationmisinformedmisinterpretingobfuscatingpeddlingpseudoscientific argumentationripoffsandbaggingtrickingword twistingzero footprint initiative
Adjective(17 words)
illogical argumentinaccurate chartlogical fallacylogical incoherencemanipulative influencemisinformmistakableplanted evidencepromotional aggressivenessspurioustrickiestunfaithfulunhelpful dataunreliableunsound conclusionuntrueuntruthful
illusionalillusionaryillusiveillusoryimaginaryinaccuratejanglejarlyingmeretriciousmisdirectingmisdirectionmiseducativemisguidancemisguidingmisinformationmisinformingmisinstructionmisinstructivemisknowledge
Show 38 more words
mismatchmisteachingmystificationobfuscationobscurantismobscurationostensibleperplexingperversionphantasmagoricphantasmalphantomplausiblepuzzlingquestionableseemingself-deceptiveself-deludingsophisticsophisticalsophistryspeciousspectralsupposititioustortuoustreacheroustrickishtricksytrickyunactualunfoundedunrealunsubstantialuntrueuntruthfulvainvisionarywrong
Choosing the right synonym
- Closest matches in this entry: deceptive, affecting understanding, airy, all in the mind, alluring.
- Sentence evidence is available for misleading, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
- Ranking signals come from wordnet, opengloss, derived_reverse, moby, and related lexical sources.
Synonym selection checklist
- Match the part of speech before comparing meanings.
- Check whether the synonym changes intensity, formality, or emotional tone.
- Read the replacement inside the full sentence, not just beside "misleading".
- Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.
When not to replace "misleading"
Keep "misleading" when the sentence already sounds natural, when a synonym would add unintended emphasis, or when readers need the most familiar wording. A synonym should clarify or sharpen the message, not simply make the sentence look more varied.
If two options seem close, choose the one that best matches the audience and purpose of the sentence.
Replacement workflow
1. Preserve meaning
Choose a synonym only if it keeps the core idea of "misleading" intact in the sentence you are editing.
2. Tune tone
Check whether the replacement sounds more formal, casual, emotional, technical, or forceful than the original word.
3. Re-read context
Read the full sentence after the swap. Keep the synonym only when the sentence becomes clearer or more precise.
Review note: Synonym lists are ranked with lexical data and reviewed for practical writing value. Use the comparison notes, sentence evidence, and source labels together; a high-ranking synonym can still be wrong when the audience, register, or grammar changes.
Final fit check
After choosing a replacement for "misleading", read the sentence once for meaning and once for rhythm. The best synonym should feel natural in the full sentence, not only accurate in a word list.
If the synonym makes the sentence slower, vaguer, or more dramatic than intended, keep "misleading" or choose a simpler alternative from the closest-match group.
Related word relations
OpenGloss and ConceptNet supply richer edges like generalizations, collocations, and derivations.
More general
4 entriesMore specific
6 entriesCollocations
10 entriesmislead by omissionmislead customersmislead the audiencemisleading advertisementmisleading advertisingmisleading chartmisleading datamisleading graphmisleading informationmisleading statement
Inflections
4 entriesDerivations
3 entriessimilar
2 entriesSample sentences
12 total sentences available.
In either case, the division is real and useful; but it can also be misleading.
Source: tatoeba (66466)
Though it is true that every normal human being is able to use language, it is misleading to compare this with his ability to eat, sleep, or walk.
Source: tatoeba (318816)
Many websites prohibit misleading usernames that imply an official role on the website such as "admin," "administrator," "webmaster," "system operator," "sysop," or "moderator."
Source: tatoeba (770346)
Showing 4 of 12 available sentences.
Common questions
What are the closest synonyms for "misleading"?
Closest matches include deceptive, affecting understanding, airy, all in the mind, alluring.
How should I check whether a synonym fits "misleading"?
Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.