misconstrue — to interpret (something, especially a person's words or actions) wrongly
Part of speech: VERB
Definition: to interpret (something, especially a person's words or actions) wrongly
Pronunciation (IPA): /ˌmɪskənˈstruː/
Korean meaning: 잘못 해석하다, 오해하다
Korean pronunciation: 미스컨**스트루**
Example Sentences
- My boss misconstrued my suggestion for improvement as criticism of his leadership.
- The alien visitor misconstrued our handshake as a declaration of war.
- She misconstrued his nervous laughter as mockery.
misconstrue
VERB//ˌmɪskənˈstruː//
to interpret (something, especially a person's words or actions) wrongly
a cheerful employee gives a friendly thumbs up and smiles while saying something to her colleague. Her body language shows she's being encouraging and supportive about a work project. However, her coworker's face shows confusion and hurt feelings as he clearly thinks she's being sarcastic or mocking. The misunderstanding creates visible tension as the woman looks puzzled by his negative reaction. Other office workers in the background notice the awkward exchange and exchange concerned glances. someone interpreting another person's words or actions wrongly
🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
From Latin construere meaning 'to build or interpret,' combined with the prefix mis- meaning 'wrongly.' The word literally means to 'build' or 'construct' an interpretation incorrectly.
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“My boss misconstrued my suggestion for improvement as criticism of his leadership.”
“The alien visitor misconstrued our handshake as a declaration of war.”
“She misconstrued his nervous laughter as mockery.”
“The cat misconstrued the vacuum cleaner as a monster and hid under the bed for three days.”
📚Related Words
Synonyms
Antonyms
Related
Want to master 19,000+ words?
Sign up free for flashcards & quizzes.