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misperception

misperception

12 6.8
A wrong idea about something
  • noun
  • /ˌmɪs.pərˈsɛp.ʃən/
translation icon : percepción errónea
  • His misperception of the situation led him to make an incorrect decision.
  • a common misperception
  • correct any misperceptions
  • public misperceptions

And the the biggest misperception with GMO is that it increases crop yield.

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Examples

  • But studies also indicated that many students have considerable misperceptions regarding the use of credit to pay for college.

    Academic text (2015)
  • A study found widespread misperceptions among viewers.

  • And, and what do you think is the biggest misperception about why people stay?

  • And, and so it would be a misperception to say, oh, they made this.

  • For example, there is a documented misperception among police officers that individuals with mental illness are more prone to violence.

    Academic text (2017)
  • In my view, these attitudes are based on a series of misperceptions, as I shall try to explain.

    Academic text (1995)
  • This podcast is me breaking down the myths and misperceptions surrounding mental health and emotional well-being.

  • Together, perceptions and misperceptions mold the foundations upon which government policy is built.

    Academic text (1992)
  • Proper training can enable safer interactions, prevent unnecessary exigencies, and correct widespread misperceptions about mental disabilities.

    Academic text (2017)
  • Concerted educational and public relations efforts by Wiccans themselves have helped to establish trust, overcome misperceptions, and correct misinformation.

    Academic text (1997)

Synonyms

mistake
vsmisperception
615 1.0

A wrong idea or belief about something

is the specific notion of incorrect interpretation rather than other cases
error
vsmisperception
306 1.0

A wrong belief, calculation, or action

is focused on wrong understanding or interpretation specifically
misunderstanding
vsmisperception
243 1.6

When someone does not understand something correctly and this causes a problem

focuses on an individual wrong interpretation rather than an interpersonal mixup
fallacy
vsmisperception
94 7.2

A wrong belief that comes from bad reasoning

is any incorrect understanding, not only those from faulty logic
misconception
vsmisperception
75 4.2

An idea that is not true because people understand something wrongly

is a plain wrong understanding, not necessarily based on bad logic
confusion
vsmisperception
48 1.8

A mistake when one thing is thought to be another

is a specific wrong perception, not just general lack of clarity
misinterpretation
vsmisperception
11 6.0

A wrong understanding of something that leads to wrong conclusions

is a broader wrong understanding rather than only a wrong explanation
misjudgment
vsmisperception
  • US
9 3.6

A wrong decision about a person or situation

is about wrong understanding rather than a concluded decision
misreading
vsmisperception
6 4.0

A wrong idea about what someone wrote or said

covers wrong understanding generally, not only from reading errors
misapprehension
vsmisperception
5 7.5

A wrong idea about what something means

is the general idea of wrong interpretation rather than specific cases
false belief
vsmisperception
3 5.6

An idea that is not true because of wrong thinking or misunderstanding

is the general wrong interpretation without stressing reasoning errors
misimpression
vsmisperception
3 7.5

A wrong idea someone has about something

is the broader wrong interpretation rather than simply an initial idea
misconstruction
vsmisperception
1 8.3

A wrong idea about what someone said or meant

is broader, applying to wrong understanding without implying misrepresentation
erroneous belief
vsmisperception
1 6.5

A belief based on false information

is a wrong interpretation more than the mere origin of the belief
misconstrual
vsmisperception
9.3

A wrong idea about what someone says or does

is broader, covering any incorrect understanding not only interpretation
miscomprehension
vsmisperception
7.9

A failure to understand something correctly

is similar but highlights an active wrong interpretation rather than just failure
misbelief
vsmisperception
7.0

An idea that is wrong

is about wrong understanding or interpretation rather than just belief
misprise
vsmisperception
  • Archaic
9.9

A wrong idea about something because a person did not understand it

is the focused idea of wrong interpretation rather than any old error
misprision
vsmisperception
  • Archaic
9.9

A wrong understanding of what someone wrote or said

is broader, applying to wrong interpretation in many contexts

How Accurate

understanding
871 1.1
insight
493 4.9
error
306 1.0
misconception
75 4.2
misperception
12 6.8

Surface Forms

misperception singular

Morphology

misperception = perception (transparent) = mis + perception

The prefix 'mis-' meaning 'wrongly' plus the noun 'perception' yields a straightforward meaning 'incorrect understanding', which is directly inferable by learners.

Etymology

Misperception combines mis- meaning 'wrong' and perception meaning 'how you see or understand something', so think of it like looking through a dirty lens. So, a misperception is an incorrect way of seeing or understanding something.