misdirected
misdirected Lexical Profile
misdirected Game Scores & Validity
• adjective
Aimed, guided, or applied toward an inappropriate, wrong, or ineffective target or purpose (especially of emotions, efforts, or policies).
"The counselor helped him realize that his misdirected anger was hurting the very people trying to support him."
Sent, addressed, or routed to the wrong destination or recipient.
"The postal worker returned the misdirected package to the sorting facility so it could be forwarded to the correct street."
• verb
To direct, guide, or send (someone or something) to the wrong place or in the wrong direction; past tense and past participle of misdirect.
"A faulty road sign misdirected dozens of commuters onto a narrow country lane."
To focus or divert (attention) away from something intentionally in order to conceal an action (especially in sleight of hand or stage magic); past tense and past participle of misdirect.
"The illusionist cleverly misdirected the audience with a flourish of his left hand while concealing the coin in his right."
• Rhymes for misdirected
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Formed as the past participle of 'misdirect' (attested from the early 17th century), combining the Old English prefix 'mis-' (badly, wrongly) with 'direct', from Latin 'directus' (arranged or guided straight).