misconstrue
Other forms: misconstrued; misconstruing; misconstrues
To misconstrue is to get the wrong idea about something. If you misconstrue a friend’s silence, you might get mad at him for ignoring you — until you find out he has a sore throat and can’t talk.
The verb misconstrue comes from mis- meaning "wrong" and construe meaning "construction." Combined they mean "to put a wrong construction on" — in other words, to interpret in the wrong way. Sometimes people can intentionally allow others to misconstrue something for personal gain. For example, a politician may let voters misconstrue her voting record if she believes doing so will help her get elected.
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interpret in the wrong way“She misconstrued my remarks”synonyms: be amiss, misapprehend, misconceive, misinterpret, misunderstand
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Vocabulary lists containing misconstrue
Brutus is a trusted confidant of the Roman general Julius Caesar, but when he becomes convinced that Caesar's ambitions are a threat to the republic, he plots his friend's assassination.
Influenced by Charlotte Perkins Gilman's personal experiences, "The Yellow Wallpaper" tells the story of a woman who is forbidden from working due to "nervous depression" and begins to obsess over the unusual wallpaper in her room.