mislead

B1 Topic:Actions & Processes

US /mɪsˈliːd/ See IPA manual

Minimal pairs

Sounds like misread /l/ vs /r/

Freq #20499

Meanings

1

verb
To give someone a false idea or impression, often on purpose.

The advertisement was designed to mislead customers about the real price.
2

verb
To lead someone in the wrong direction.

The old signs misled us and we ended up on the wrong road.

Verb forms

Verb forms are not available for this word yet.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 verb · to give someone a false... misinform deceive delude

2 verb · to lead someone in the... misguide misdirect lead astray

Opposites

direct guide lead

Word family

Forms misleadedmisleadsmisled

Derived forms misleadablemisleadermisleading

Etymology

From Middle English mysleden, from Old English mislǣdan (“to mislead”), from Proto-Germanic *missalaidijaną (“to mislead”). By surface analysis, mis- + lead.

mysleden Middle English mislǣdan Old English *missalaidijaną Proto-Germanic

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Actions & Processes

External links

# mislead

**Type:** Word
**Level:** B1
**Part of speech:** verb
**IPA (US):** /mɪsˈliːd/
**Frequency rank:** 20499

## Meanings
1. To give someone a false idea or impression, often on purpose.
2. To lead someone in the wrong direction.

## Examples
- The advertisement was designed to mislead customers about the real price.
- The old signs misled us and we ended up on the wrong road.

## Antonyms
- direct
- guide
- lead

## Derived Forms
- misleadable
- misleader
- misleading

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: mysleden
- Root: mislǣdan
- Root: *missalaidijaną
- Affix: mis- - wrong

## Etymology
From Middle English mysleden, from Old English mislǣdan (“to mislead”), from Proto-Germanic *missalaidijaną (“to mislead”). By surface analysis, mis- + lead.

## AI Etymology
Mislead comes from Middle English mysleden, from Old English mislǣdan (“to mislead”), from Proto-Germanic *missalaidijaną (“to mislead”). By surface analysis, mis- + lead. In present-day English its meanings include to give someone a false idea or impression, often on purpose and to lead someone in the wrong direction. The historical chain runs through mysleden (Middle English), mislǣdan (Old English), and *missalaidijaną (Proto-Germanic). Related and derived forms include misleadable, misleader, and misleading.

## Topics
- Actions & Processes

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