misspeaking

IPA/ˌmɪsˈspiːk/
IPA/ˌmɪsˈspiːk/

misspeaking — verb

  • misspeakingpresent simple I / you / we / they
  • misspeakings3rd person singular
  • misspeakinging-ing form
  • misspeakingedpast simple

1. to accidentally say something wrong — a word, a name, or a piece of information

1.動詞及物 / 不及物B2
釋義

to accidentally say something wrong — a word, a name, or a piece of information — even though you already know what the correct thing to say is.

例句

Beatrix misspoke when she introduced the guest speaker, giving the wrong university name.

transitive: misspoke + noun phrase (giving the wrong university name)

During the ceremony, the mayor accidentally misspoke and announced the wrong winner.

intransitive: misspoke with no direct object

同義詞
  • mispronounce

    more specific — only about getting the sounds of a word wrong, not the facts or names

  • slip up

    informal; can describe any kind of mistake, not limited to speech

  • get wrong

    general phrasing, less formal; can be used for writing, calculations, etc.

文法句型

misspeak + noun phrase

misspeak (no object)

misspeak + oneself

用法筆記

The past form 'misspoke' is more common in everyday speech than the present 'misspeak'. The word is usually used to describe a small, accidental error — not a deliberate lie or a case of not knowing the correct word.

常見錯誤

❌I misspoke about being late' (when meaning 'I lied').
✅I misspoke when I said the meeting was at 3 p.m.
💡it is at 2 p.m.' — 'Misspeak' only describes accidental mistakes, not intentional untruths.
❌I always misspeak that word because I never learned how to say it.
✅I always mispronounce that word because I never learned how to say it.
💡'Misspeak' implies you already know the correct way; 'mispronounce' works when you do not know the right pronunciation.