What does misjudgment mean?
Misjudgment means a mistake in judging, assessing, or deciding something. It refers to a conclusion reached through faulty reasoning, insufficient information, prejudice, or an overly rapid evaluation. The word is especially common in professional and legal contexts, where it can describe a serious error in a decision, but it also applies to everyday misreadings of other people's intentions or circumstances. For example, a manager may describe an employee's performance as a misjudgment if the employee was judged without considering relevant evidence. Misjudgment carries a more formal and critical tone than simple “mistake,” often implying that the process of assessment was flawed rather than merely unlucky. It is particularly useful when discussing mistakes that can have significant consequences, such as errors in risk assessment, personnel decisions, legal judgments, or political evaluations. The alternative spelling “misjudgement” is standard in British English.
nounAn error in judging or assessing a situation, circumstance, or person. It may result from incomplete information, faulty reasoning, prejudice, or an overly hasty decision.
- An erroneous judgment or assessment of a situation, person, or course of action.
"The committee acknowledged that its earlier decision had been based on a serious misjudgment of the risks involved."
"Her misjudgment of the team's abilities led to an unnecessarily cautious strategy."
"The apology described the dismissal as a misjudgment and offered no justification for the decision."
The standard plural in American English; “misjudgements” is also standard in British English.
"Several serious misjudgments shaped the organization's response to the crisis."
Sometimes the quickest route to a better decision is to identify the misjudgment that began the trouble.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does misjudgment come from?
The English word was formed by combining the prefix “mis-,” indicating error or incorrectness, with “judgment.” “Judgment” comes through Old French “jugement” from Latin “iudicium,” a word associated with judging and legal decisions. The English family also includes “misjudge” and “prejudge,” while American English generally uses “misjudgment” and British English commonly uses “misjudgement.”
Related word forms
How misjudgment is actually used
The word is most common in formal, professional, legal, and analytical contexts, but it is also readily understood in general speech. It is more frequently spelled “misjudgment” in American English, while British English favors “misjudgement.” The term often suggests a decision or assessment that was unreasonable because relevant facts were overlooked or misinterpreted.
Easily confused with misjudgment
Both words have the same meaning, but “misjudgement” is the spelling more commonly used in British English.