misconception
noun
mis·con·cep·tion
ˌmis-kən-ˈsep-shən 
plural misconceptions
: a wrong or inaccurate idea or conception
a common/popular misconception
There's this misconception that you get famous and everything is perfect.—
Chris Daughtry
Chris DaughtryThe new name, along with more stringent criteria for diagnosing the disorder, represents an attempt to clear up misconceptions about the disorder and to have it taken more seriously by psychiatrists as well as the courts.—Janny Scott
Janny ScottMany gardeners are under the misconception [=have the mistaken idea] that bamboos grow only in mild climates.—Nan Sterman
Nan Sterman… artists, writers, and musicians who labor under the misconception that it's possible to come up with something new under the sun …—Simon Reynolds
Simon ReynoldsExamples of misconception in a Sentence
it is a popular misconception that the Great Wall of China is visible from outer space
Recent Examples on the Web
But the misconception that shingles is an older person’s disease doesn’t just plague patients.
—Alyssa Sparacino, Glamour, 27 Apr. 2026
Her daughter, Pallas, who co-manages Birchbark, says that the books lining the store’s shelves debunk the misconceptions that Native literature is stuck in the past or focused solely on hardship.
—Kat Chen, Condé Nast Traveler, 25 Apr. 2026
The Glycemic Index Trap A common misconception is that lower glycemic index (GI) equals healthier.
—Lynn Andriani, Martha Stewart, 25 Apr. 2026
Hezel and Marcello are aware that there are misconceptions, one of the biggest being that the Marlins strictly adhere to the numbers.
—Justice Delos Santos, Mercury News, 24 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for misconception
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Alyssa Sparacino, Glamour, 27 Apr. 2026
Her daughter, Pallas, who co-manages Birchbark, says that the books lining the store’s shelves debunk the misconceptions that Native literature is stuck in the past or focused solely on hardship.
—Kat Chen, Condé Nast Traveler, 25 Apr. 2026
The Glycemic Index Trap A common misconception is that lower glycemic index (GI) equals healthier.
—Lynn Andriani, Martha Stewart, 25 Apr. 2026
Hezel and Marcello are aware that there are misconceptions, one of the biggest being that the Marlins strictly adhere to the numbers.
—Justice Delos Santos, Mercury News, 24 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for misconception
Cite this Entry
“Misconception.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/misconception. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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