mislead

/mɪsˈliːd/
verbIntermediate
formal

To give someone incorrect or misleading information, often with the intention to deceive or cause them to make a wrong decision.

The salesperson tried to mislead the customer about the product's features.

The politician misled the public about the true state of the economy.

💡

This verb is often used in contexts involving deception, fraud, or manipulation.

Collocations

mislead someoneto deceive or give false information to a personmislead aboutto provide incorrect information regarding a specific topic

Synonyms

Antonyms

Related Phrases

lead someone astrayphrase
to mislead or misguide someone

💡Pro Tip

Past Tense Form

Remember that the past tense of 'mislead' is 'misled', not 'mislead'.

Gold Rule

Formal Context

'Mislead' is often used in formal or legal contexts to describe intentional deception.

📖Word Origin

From Middle English 'misleeden', from Old English 'misleadan', meaning 'to lead astray'. The prefix 'mis-' indicates wrong or incorrect action, while 'lead' refers to guiding or directing.

📝Usage Notes

The past tense and past participle of 'mislead' is 'misled' (not 'mislead'). The verb is often used in formal or legal contexts to describe intentional deception.

Word Breakdown

mis-
wrong or incorrect
prefix
+
lead
to guide or direct
root
English Dictionary