Mislead

/mɪsˈliːd/

Meaning & Definition

verb

to cause someone to have a wrong idea or impression about something; to deceive.

The advertisement was designed to mislead consumers into thinking the product was all-natural.

to lead someone in the wrong direction or to lead someone to a wrong conclusion.

He didn't mean to mislead anyone, but his explanation was confusing.

to provide false information intentionally.

The politician was accused of trying to mislead the public with false statements.

to guide someone wrongly in their understanding or actions.

Misleading information on social media can lead to widespread panic.

From the prefix 'mis-' meaning 'wrongly' and 'lead' meaning 'to guide'.

lead someone astray

To guide someone into confusion or error.

pull the wool over someone's eyes

To deceive someone by concealing the truth.

take someone for a ride

To deceive or cheat someone.

deception

The act of deceiving or misleading someone.

misrepresentation

False or misleading information presented intentionally.

Play someone

Don't let him play you; he's just trying to mislead you.

String along

She was just stringing him along, misleading him about her interest.