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Misdirection: meaning, definitions and examples

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misdirection

 

[ mɪs.dɪˈrɛk.ʃən ]

Noun
Context #1 | Noun

in performance

The action or process of directing someone to the wrong place or in the wrong direction in order to deceive them.

Synonyms

deception, diversion, red herring.

Examples of usage

  • He used misdirection to make the audience believe he had vanished into thin air.
  • The magician's misdirection was so seamless that the audience was completely fooled.
Context #2 | Noun

in communication

The action or process of distracting or diverting someone's attention from the real issue or point of discussion.

Synonyms

deflection, distraction, obfuscation.

Examples of usage

  • The politician's misdirection of the question allowed him to avoid answering directly.
  • The misdirection in the debate led to confusion among the participants.

Translations

Translations of the word "misdirection" in other languages:

🇵🇹 desorientação

🇮🇳 भटकाव

🇩🇪 Irreführung

🇮🇩 pengalihan

🇺🇦 дезінформація

🇵🇱 dezinformacja

🇯🇵 誤誘導

🇫🇷 tromperie

🇪🇸 desvío

🇹🇷 yanıltma

🇰🇷 잘못된 방향

🇸🇦 تضليل

🇨🇿 klam

🇸🇰 dezorientácia

🇨🇳 误导

🇸🇮 zavajanje

🇮🇸 villuleiðsögn

🇰🇿 адастыру

🇬🇪 მიტყუება

🇦🇿 yanıltma

🇲🇽 desvío

Etymology

The word 'misdirection' originated in the early 19th century, combining 'mis-' (meaning 'wrongly') and 'direction'. It is often associated with magic tricks and illusions, where performers use misdirection to create a sense of mystery and surprise. Over time, the term has been adopted in various fields to describe the act of leading someone astray or diverting attention. Misdirection plays a crucial role in psychology, communication, and entertainment.

See also: bidirectional, direct, directability, directing, direction, directions, directive, directiveness, directives, directly, directness, director, directorial, directors, directory, indirect, misdirect, undirected.

Word Frequency Rank

At rank #27,535, this word represents specialized academic or technical vocabulary. It's less frequently encountered but may be valuable in specific contexts.