What does disinformation mean?
Disinformation is false information that is deliberately created and spread in order to deceive. The key element separating it from mere error is intent: while anyone can pass along a mistaken fact, disinformation is manufactured or manipulated with the specific aim of misleading an audience, often for political, military, or commercial gain. The term is closely associated with state propaganda and espionage — governments have long planted false stories in foreign media to confuse adversaries — but in recent decades it has become central to public discussion of fake news, social media manipulation, and election interference. Because the word asserts deliberate deceit, it carries a serious accusation and should be used carefully; calling something disinformation claims not only that it is false, but that someone intended it to be. It is an uncountable noun, so writers refer to "a piece of disinformation" rather than "a disinformation." Understanding the distinction between disinformation and unintentionally shared falsehoods has become an essential skill of modern media literacy.
nounFalse information deliberately spread, especially by a government or intelligence agency, in order to deceive people.
- False information that is deliberately created and disseminated in order to deceive, especially for political, military, or strategic advantage.
"The intelligence service planted disinformation to mislead the enemy about the invasion's true location."
"During the Cold War, both superpowers ran elaborate operations to seed disinformation into each other's media."
"The company issued a statement warning that viral posts claiming its products were unsafe were pure disinformation designed to manipulate the stock price."
Disinformation is an uncountable noun and has no plural form. To express quantity, use phrases such as "pieces of disinformation" or "instances of disinformation."
"The report catalogued dozens of pieces of disinformation circulated during the campaign."
"Disinformation" entered English as a translation of the Russian "dezinformatsiya" — a word Soviet intelligence allegedly coined to make the practice sound like a Western vice.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of disinformation
Disinformation is a twentieth-century borrowing modeled on Russian "dezinformatsiya," which combined the French-derived prefix "dés-" (expressing reversal) with "information." The Russian term was used by Soviet security services from around the 1920s, and the anglicized form appeared in Western usage by the mid-twentieth century, particularly in reporting on Cold War intelligence activities. It shares its root with "information" and related words ultimately tracing back to Latin "informare," meaning to shape, train, or instruct.
How disinformation is actually used
Formal to neutral in register, and common in journalism, politics, and discussions of media literacy. The word carries a strong implication of deliberate deception, so using it asserts intent on someone's part — this makes it potentially defamatory if applied carelessly. It is an uncountable noun: one says "a piece of disinformation," not "a disinformation."
Easily confused with disinformation
Misinformation is false information spread regardless of intent, whereas disinformation is false information spread deliberately with the intent to deceive.