misinformation
C1Formal, Academic, Journalistic, Everyday (in discussions of media/society)
Definition
Meaning
False or inaccurate information that is spread, regardless of an intent to mislead.
Information that is incorrect, often spread widely through media or social networks, which can shape public opinion or behavior based on falsehoods. While sometimes spread deliberately (disinformation), misinformation can also be shared unintentionally by those who believe it.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Often used in mass media and political contexts. While closely related to 'disinformation', the key distinction lies in intent: misinformation is false information spread without necessarily malicious intent; disinformation is deliberately deceptive.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant differences in meaning or usage. The term is used identically in both varieties.
Connotations
Strongly negative in both, associated with societal harm, public confusion, and threats to democratic processes.
Frequency
Extremely high frequency in both varieties in the 21st century, especially in political, technological, and public health discourse.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
misinformation about + NOUN (topic)misinformation + VERB (spreads/circulates)misinformation + PREPOSITION (on/regarding)ADJECTIVE + misinformation (harmful/viral/deliberate)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “A wildfire of misinformation”
- “To be awash in misinformation”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Refers to false data affecting markets, consumer trust, or corporate reputation (e.g., 'Misinformation about the merger caused stock volatility').
Academic
Studied in media studies, political science, and sociology as a phenomenon affecting public discourse and knowledge (e.g., 'The paper analyses the mechanics of misinformation diffusion').
Everyday
Used to describe false news or rumours encountered online or in conversation (e.g., 'Don't share that article; it's full of misinformation').
Technical
In IT/cybersecurity, refers to manipulated or false data sets, or false content in information systems.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The tabloid was accused of misinforming the public about the risks.
- He realised he had been misinformed about the train times.
American English
- The network misinformed its viewers about the election results.
- I don't want to misinform you, so let me check the facts.
adjective
British English
- The misinformation campaign was highly effective.
- We need to address these misinformation narratives.
American English
- She shared a misinformation post on social media.
- The study focused on misinformation trends.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The story on the internet was misinformation.
- It is bad to spread misinformation.
- Social media platforms are trying to stop the spread of misinformation.
- The article contained a lot of misinformation about the new law.
- Public health officials struggled to combat the rampant misinformation surrounding the vaccine.
- The documentary aimed to debunk several key pieces of misinformation about climate change.
- The deliberate seeding of misinformation into the digital ecosystem has undermined trust in institutions.
- Analysts noted that the misinformation was not merely incidental but formed part of a coordinated influence operation.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
MIS + INFORMATION. Think of 'MIS-' as meaning 'wrongly' (like in mistake or misunderstand), so it's 'wrong information'.
Conceptual Metaphor
MISINFORMATION IS A VIRUS / POLLUTION / WEED. It spreads contagiously, contaminates the information environment, and chokes out truthful content.
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not confuse with 'дезинформация' (disinformation), which implies deliberate intent. 'Misinformation' is broader.
- Avoid the direct calque 'неправильная информация' as it's less idiomatic; 'ложная информация' is closer.
- Do not translate as 'misinformatsiya' - it's a false friend.
Common Mistakes
- Confusing 'misinformation' (unintentional) with 'disinformation' (intentional).
- Using it as a countable noun incorrectly (e.g., 'a misinformation' – better: 'a piece of misinformation').
- Spelling as 'missinformation' (only one 's').
Practice
Quiz
What is the primary distinction between 'misinformation' and 'disinformation'?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Not exactly. A 'lie' is a deliberate false statement made by a person. 'Misinformation' is the false information itself, which may have been created deliberately or accidentally, and may be spread by people who don't know it's false.
No, the noun is 'misinformation'. The related verb is 'to misinform' (to give someone false information).
They are related but not perfect synonyms. 'Fake news' often refers to completely fabricated news stories, typically created for financial or political gain. 'Misinformation' is a broader, more formal term encompassing all false information, including rumours, inaccurate statistics, and out-of-context facts.
Treat it as a non-count (uncountable) noun. You can say 'There is a lot of misinformation online' or 'They spread misinformation'. For a single instance, use 'a piece of misinformation' or 'an item of misinformation'.
Collections
Part of a collection
Media Analysis
B2 · 49 words · Critically analyzing media and information.