misinformation

noun

mis·​in·​for·​ma·​tion ˌmis-ˌin-fər-ˈmā-shən 

: incorrect or misleading information

Indubitably, a great deal of paranoid and otherwise irresponsible misinformation about the Kennedy assassination has traveled far and sold well …

—Ronnie Dugger

A muddle of misinformation keeps clouding the debate over hormone-replacement therapy for women.

—Melinda Beck

Each of these pieces of information (and misinformation) about me is sold for about two-fifths of a cent to advertisers, which then deliver me an Internet ad, send me a catalog or mail me a credit-card offer.

—Joel Stein

Examples of misinformation in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The social media platform has faced growing scrutiny from some government officials over fears that user data could fall into the possession of the Chinese government and the app could be weaponized by China to spread misinformation. —Max Zahn, ABC News, 9 May 2024

With the advent of tools like Photoshop, the proliferation of misinformation grew. —Laura Bratton, Quartz, 8 May 2024

Together with China and Iran, state media in the three countries have produced nearly 400 articles in English about the campus protests in the space of two weeks, according to NewsGuard, an organization that tracks misinformation online. —David Gilbert, WIRED, 8 May 2024

In a time of mass misinformation, writers who tell the truth and who are there to witness the truth firsthand are essential and must be protected. —Matthew Salesses, TIME, 7 May 2024

India is among the nations most concerned with the proliferation of misinformation, which is exacerbated by the widespread use of generative AI and has the potential to destabilize democracies, according to the Forum’s Global Risks Report 2024. —Fahad Shah, The Christian Science Monitor, 3 May 2024

And now that the company is focusing on AI efforts, quality raters like me are critical to ensuring that search results aren’t littered with bad results and misinformation. —Toni Allen, Fortune, 3 May 2024

And vaccine supporters, including federal officials, worry that even a whisper of possible side effects feeds into misinformation spread by a vitriolic anti-vaccine movement. —Apoorva Mandavilli, New York Times, 3 May 2024

Social networks, already lackluster sources for news, are overwhelmed by misinformation and content generated by artificial intelligence. —Kyle Chayka, The New Yorker, 1 May 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1605, in the meaning defined above