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misleading

v.
C1 Advanced Oxford US //mɪˈsɫidɪŋ// UK //mɪslˈiːdɪŋ// mis·lead·ing

v. giving a wrong idea or impression. It makes you believe something that is not actually true, even if it is not a direct lie.

v. tending to give a wrong impression or to deceive. Often describes information that is technically accurate but framed in a way that leads the recipient to a false conclusion.


SIMPLE

The advertisement for the cheap car was very misleading.

CONTEXTUAL

The company was fined for using misleading labels that suggested the product was organic when it was not.

COMPLEX

While the statistics presented in the report were technically accurate, the selective omission of historical data created a misleading narrative about the project's overall success.

Synonyms
Origin

From mislead + -ing.

Usage

Typically used to modify nouns related to information, such as 'statement', 'advertisement', 'information', or 'statistics'.

Pitfall

He is misleading about his age.He is being misleading about his age.When describing a person's current behavior rather than a permanent character trait, use the progressive form 'being misleading'.

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