mismarriage: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
Rare / ArchaicLiterary, Formal, Possibly Archaic
Quick answer
What does “mismarriage” mean?
A bad or ill-advised marriage.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A bad or ill-advised marriage; an unsuitable union between spouses.
By extension, any unsuitable or poorly matched union, partnership, or combination of things.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant usage difference; the word is equally rare in both dialects. The spelling is consistent.
Connotations
Connotes a formal, almost legalistic or literary judgment on a marital union. It can carry a tone of lament, social commentary, or simple factual description of incompatibility.
Frequency
Extremely low frequency in modern corpora for both dialects. More likely to be encountered in older literary texts or historical analysis.
Grammar
How to Use “mismarriage” in a Sentence
mismarriage between X and Ymismarriage of X to Ymismarriage (resulting) in ZVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “mismarriage” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- [Verb form not standard]
American English
- [Verb form not standard]
adverb
British English
- [Adverb form not standard]
American English
- [Adverb form not standard]
adjective
British English
- The mismarried couple lived in separate wings of the estate.
American English
- She wrote about her mismarried life in her private diaries.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Not used. A metaphorical extension like 'a mismarriage of corporate cultures' is conceivable but highly unusual.
Academic
Potentially used in literary criticism, historical sociology, or gender studies to analyse fictional or historical marital unions.
Everyday
Virtually never used in casual conversation. 'Bad marriage' or 'terrible match' would be used instead.
Technical
Not used in any technical field.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “mismarriage”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “mismarriage”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “mismarriage”
- Using it as a verb (e.g., 'They mismarried'). The verb form is not standard. Confusing it with 'mismatch', which is more general.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it is a rare and somewhat archaic word. In modern English, phrases like 'bad marriage', 'failed marriage', or 'unsuitable match' are far more common.
No, the verb form 'to mismarry' is not standard in contemporary English. The concept is expressed with phrases like 'to marry unwisely' or 'to make a bad marriage'.
They are very close synonyms. 'Misalliance' can be slightly broader, applying to any unsuitable alliance (political, business), while 'mismarriage' is specifically marital, though it can be used metaphorically.
It is not recommended. Because it is so rare, using it might seem unnatural or like a memorised 'rare word'. It is safer to use more common vocabulary to express the same idea.
A bad or ill-advised marriage.
Mismarriage is usually literary, formal, possibly archaic in register.
Mismarriage: in British English it is pronounced /ˌmɪsˈmær.ɪdʒ/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌmɪsˈmer.ɪdʒ/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “[No specific idioms for this rare word]”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: MIStake + MARRIAGE = a marriage that was a mistake from the start.
Conceptual Metaphor
MARRIAGE IS A UNION / CONTRACT. A MISmarriage is a flawed contract or a dysfunctional union.
Practice
Quiz
What is the most likely context to encounter the word 'mismarriage'?