What does misquoting mean?
Misquoting means reporting or reproducing someone’s words inaccurately. The error may involve changing the wording, omitting words in a way that distorts the original, or attributing a statement to the wrong person. The term is especially common in journalism, politics, publishing, and academic debate, where the precise wording of a statement can affect reputation, policy, or public understanding. A misquote is not necessarily a deliberate lie, although it may be used to deceive or to strengthen an argument. The related noun misquotation denotes the inaccurate quotation itself or the act of making one. Although misquoting normally implies that the source’s exact words were involved, it should be distinguished from paraphrasing, which restates a source in different language, and from quoting out of context, which can reproduce the wording accurately while misleading readers by removing relevant context.
verbTo quote someone’s words inaccurately, altering their wording, context, or attribution. It can also refer to reproducing a written source incorrectly.
- To quote a person or source inaccurately by changing the original words.
- To attribute words to a person that they did not say.
- To reproduce a written passage incorrectly.
"The article was criticized for misquoting the former minister’s remarks."
"Several commentators were accused of misquoting the interview."
"The transcript contains several passages that were misquoted during the debate."
A misquote can change what someone said without changing a single familiar-looking word.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does misquoting come from?
The word combines the prefix mis-, meaning “wrongly,” with quote, meaning “to cite the words of another.” Quote entered English in the late Middle English period from Old French, ultimately deriving from Latin quaerere, “to seek or ask.” The prefix mis- has long been used in English to mark error or incorrectness, and the combination came to denote an inaccurate quotation.
Related word forms
How misquoting is actually used
The term is commonly used in journalism, politics, publishing, and academic discussion. It may describe an accidental error, deliberate distortion, or an unsupported attribution; the context usually establishes which is meant.
Easily confused with misquoting
Misquoting changes or reports the exact words of a source inaccurately, whereas paraphrasing restates those words in different language.
Quoting out of context may reproduce the words accurately but remove information that affects their meaning, while misquoting alters the words themselves.