MISLEAD Synonyms: 73 Similar and Opposite Words

mislead

verb

ˌmis-ˈlēd

as in to deceive

to cause to believe what is untrue the coral snake's attractive colors can mislead you into thinking that it is harmless

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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How does the verb mislead differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of mislead are beguile, deceive, and delude. While all these words mean "to lead astray or frustrate usually by underhandedness," mislead implies a leading astray that may or may not be intentional.

I was misled by the confusing sign

When might beguile be a better fit than mislead?

In some situations, the words beguile and mislead are roughly equivalent. However, beguile stresses the use of charm and persuasion in deceiving.

was beguiled by false promises

When could deceive be used to replace mislead?

While in some cases nearly identical to mislead, deceive implies imposing a false idea or belief that causes ignorance, bewilderment, or helplessness.

tried to deceive me about the cost

In what contexts can delude take the place of mislead?

While the synonyms delude and mislead are close in meaning, delude implies deceiving so thoroughly as to obscure the truth.

we were deluded into thinking we were safe

Examples Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of mislead Makary has lamented that drugmakers used misleading data to urge doctors to prescribe OxyContin and other opioids as low-risk, non-addictive pain relievers. —

CBS News, 22 Nov. 2024 The law, set to go into effect next year, also gives election officials and candidates the power to sue in response to misleading election deepfakes. —

Will McCurdy, PCMAG, 17 Nov. 2024 Separately, Paul is facing an eight-count indictment for federal financial crimes handed up in June 2023 accusing him of committing wire fraud by misleading financial institutions as well as a follow-up four-count indictment announced in November. —

John C. Moritz, Austin American-Statesman, 15 Nov. 2024 The lawsuit claims that Chipotle’s failure to disclose these issues and their financial implications misled shareholders, potentially violating securities laws. —

Francisco Velasquez, Quartz, 12 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for mislead

Recent Examples of Synonyms for mislead

Verb

For his part, Higginbotham pleaded guilty to conspiracy to deceive U.S. banks about millions of dollars in foreign lobbying funds and was sentenced to three months’ probation.

Tatiana Siegel, Variety, 27 Nov. 2024
Nearly seven in 10 people were deceived into buying counterfeit products online at least once, according to research from Michigan State University in 2023.

Medora Lee, USA TODAY, 27 Nov. 2024