misleading
/(ˌ)mɪsˈliːdɪŋ/
Proposed by a contributor, not yet supported by evidence.
Also seen as: misleadings
Sense 1
Meaning · English
Deceptive or tending to mislead or create a false impression, even if technically true.
Adjective
Examples
The problem does not appear so hopeless when misleading metaphor is discarded.
Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).
Sense 2
Meaning · English
A deception that misleads.
Noun
Examples
According to this tradition, acts of deception that are mere misleadings are morally better than acts of deception that are lies.
Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).
Common questions
What does “misleading” mean?
Deceptive or tending to mislead or create a false impression, even if technically true.
Is “misleading” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.