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misrepresentation

misrepresentation

25 7.5
A statement that gives false information about something
  • noun
  • /ˌmɪsˌrɛprɪzɛnˈteɪʃən/
translation icon : representación engañosa
  • The damage caused by The Invention stems from its misrepresentation of established historical facts as lies.
  • a gross misrepresentation
  • a material misrepresentation
  • distortion and misrepresentation

Instead, he sued for fraudulent misrepresentation and for breach of contract.

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Examples

  • The company's misrepresentation of the product's capabilities led to customer disappointment.

  • You could be sued for misrepresentation and failure to deliver your product.

  • But it's a misrepresentation of his approach, which is much more complicated.

  • You should also know that the Board is determining whether to take legal action against you for your misrepresentation.

  • I mean, some of the misrepresentations that you see really are terrible.

    Academic text (1999)
  • The SEC looks to make sure that there is not fraud and manipulation and misrepresentation in our securities markets.

  • Here, you may be exposing yourself to fraud or misrepresentation to the prospective employer.

    Academic text (1996)
  • That is just a huge misrepresentation of reality, and that really skews our perceptions.

  • We are so accustomed to it that we don't even regard it as a misrepresentation anymore.

    Academic text (1991)
  • Instead, he sued for fraudulent misrepresentation and for breach of contract.

Synonyms

lie
vsmisrepresentation
2.7

A false statement told to trick someone

can be an inaccurate account even when not intended to mislead
lying
vsmisrepresentation
215 2.1

Telling something that is not true on purpose

may be false or misleading without deliberate intent to deceive
deception
vsmisrepresentation
163 3.9

An action that makes someone believe something not true

focuses specifically on giving a wrong account, not all deceptive behaviours
deceit
vsmisrepresentation
66 4.6

Dishonest action meant to trick someone

is the narrower act of giving a wrong or misleading account
pretense
vsmisrepresentation
  • US
65 6.1

A false claim or action to hide the truth

is about giving a wrong account, not only creating a false appearance
distortion
vsmisrepresentation
46 5.8

A report or statement that gives a false picture of the truth

is the general false or misleading account, not only twisted facts
falsehood
vsmisrepresentation
46 4.3

A statement that is not true

is the broader act of giving a wrong or misleading account
disinformation
vsmisrepresentation
35 6.8

Information people spread on purpose to deceive others

is any false or misleading account, not only mass deliberate campaigns
fabrication
vsmisrepresentation
29 6.5

A false story made to trick people

covers invented or altered accounts but also less direct misleading reports
untruth
vsmisrepresentation
16 5.5

A false statement

is the action of offering a false or misleading account rather than a single statement
half-truth
vsmisrepresentation
16 6.7

A statement that is partly true but leaves out important facts to mislead

can include such partial accounts but also wholly false descriptions
canard
vsmisrepresentation
  • Literature
12 9.9

A false story that people tell to make others believe something untrue

is any misleading account, not only sensational or storylike false reports
mischaracterization
vsmisrepresentation
  • US
6 8.3

A wrong description that makes a person or event seem bad

is general false or misleading account, not limited to unfair portrayals
falsification
vsmisrepresentation
  • Formal
5 7.7

To make a document or record false on purpose by changing its information

is broader, including any false or misleading account not only alterations
whitewash
vsmisrepresentation
4 6.8

An attempt to hide bad facts to make something seem better

is the broader act of false description, not only covering concealment efforts
prevarication
vsmisrepresentation
  • Formal
3 9.9

To avoid telling the truth by being vague or misleading

involves a direct false or misleading account rather than vague avoidance
misreporting
vsmisrepresentation
1 5.3

Giving wrong information in official papers or records

applies more widely to any false or misleading account beyond reports
falsifying
vsmisrepresentation
7.6

To make false information, for example in documents or results, to trick people

is the general act of giving a misleading account, not only evidence altering
misdescription
vsmisrepresentation
7.5

An incorrect or misleading statement about something

is broader, covering any false account not only descriptive errors
misframing
vsmisrepresentation
  • Jargon
8.3

Giving information in a misleading way that makes people misunderstand it

is any false or misleading account, not only how something is framed

How Accurate

error
306 1.0
misrepresentation
25 7.5
distortion
26 5.0
lie
2.7

Surface Forms

Morphology

misrepresentation = misrepresent (transparent) = mis + represent + ation

The verb 'misrepresent' (mis- + represent) is clear and the suffix '-ation' nominalizes it to 'the act of misrepresenting'.

Etymology

The word misrepresentation comes from mis- meaning 'wrong' and represent meaning 'to show', a root you also see in presentation. So a misrepresentation is literally a 'wrong showing' — giving a false or misleading account of something.