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misconception

/ˌˈmɪskənˌsɛpʃən/

/mɪskənˈsɛpʃən/

Other forms: misconceptions

A misconception is a conclusion that's wrong because it's based on faulty thinking or facts that are wrong. Your accusation about your brother's role in that unfortunate event at your party may be based on a misconception.

First appearing in the 1660s, the noun misconception comes from the prefix mis-, meaning "bad, wrong," and the word conception, meaning "act of conceiving." A misconception usually results from incorrect thinking or a flawed understanding. Because they don't know the facts, many people have a misconception about how diseases such as AIDS are transmitted. It's a common misconception that Thomas Edison invented the light bulb, when, in fact, he didn't.

Definitions of misconception
  1. noun
    an incorrect conception
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    Antonyms:
    concept, conception, construct
    an abstract or general idea inferred or derived from specific instances
    types:
    show 17 types...
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    fallacy, false belief
    a misconception resulting from incorrect reasoning
    erroneous belief, error
    a misconception resulting from incorrect information
    self-deceit, self-deception
    a misconception that is favorable to the person who holds it
    misapprehension, mistake, misunderstanding
    an understanding of something that is not correct
    fancy, fantasy, illusion, phantasy
    something many people believe that is false
    delusion, hallucination
    a mistaken or unfounded opinion or idea
    mirage
    something illusory and unattainable
    unsoundness
    a misconception that is fallacious and not true or valid
    pseudoscience
    an activity resembling science but based on fallacious assumptions
    logical fallacy
    a fallacy in logical argumentation
    pathetic fallacy
    the fallacy of attributing human feelings to inanimate objects; `the friendly sun' is an example of the pathetic fallacy
    sophism, sophistication, sophistry
    a deliberately invalid argument displaying ingenuity in reasoning in the hope of deceiving someone
    paralogism
    an unintentionally invalid argument
    bubble
    an impracticable and illusory idea
    ignis fatuus, will-o'-the-wisp
    an illusion that misleads
    wishful thinking
    the illusion that what you wish for is actually true
    disorientation, freak out
    a wild delusion (especially one induced by a hallucinogenic drug)
    type of:
    idea, thought
    the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
Pronunciation
US

/ˌˈmɪskənˌsɛpʃən/

UK

/mɪskənˈsɛpʃən/

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DISCLAIMER: These example sentences appear in various news sources and books to reflect the usage of the word ‘misconception'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Vocabulary.com or its editors. Send us feedback
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