misread
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
v.to read words or numbers wrongly, often by mistake.
v.to read a text or data incorrectly, resulting in a factual error.
Simple“I misread the bus timetable and arrived an hour too early.”
In context“The technician misread the pressure gauge, leading to a minor but costly delay in the production cycle.”
UsageTransitive; takes a direct object such as a map, sign, or document.
Synonymsmisinterpretmistake - 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
v.to fail to understand a person's feelings or the true meaning of a situation.
v.to misinterpret the significance of a situation, social cue, or person's intentions.
Simple“He completely misread her silence, thinking she was angry when she was just tired.”
In context“Political analysts often misread the public mood, failing to predict the outcome of the election until the final votes were counted.”
UsageOften used with abstract objects like 'mood', 'intentions', or 'signals'.
SynonymsmisjudgemisunderstandAntonyms - 03 C1 Advanced
n.an instance where you read or understand something wrongly.
n.an instance of misreading or misinterpreting information.
Simple“The error was caused by a simple misread of the original contract.”
In context“A single misread of the data could compromise the entire integrity of the scientific study.”
Synonymsmisinterpretationerror
“The boss who is driven by power assumes everyone is, and misreads the entire room.”
From Middle English misreden, from Old English misrǣdan (“to advise wrongly; read wrongly”), equivalent to mis- + read. Cognate with Saterland Frisian misräide (“to go wrong, fail”), Dutch misraden (“to guess wrongly”), German missraten (“to fail; go wrong; become wayward”). For the noun, compare Old English misrǣd (“misguidance; misconduct”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.