misdirections
Leads you astray
Misdirections are acts of leading attention away from something—often deliberately.
A magician's misdirection draws your eye from the sleight of hand.
A politician's misdirection shifts focus from an uncomfortable question.
The word implies intent to deceive or distract: The investigation was hampered by misdirections from witnesses.
Causing false beliefs
- diversionRedirection of attention
- feintDeceptive mock attack
- ruseDeliberate act of deception
- distractionThing diverting one's attention
decoy · smokescreen · red herring · subterfuge · bluff · sleight · false trail · cover-up
Skillful manual deception
- illusionMisleading sensory impression
- prestidigitationSkillful hand-based illusions
- vanishingCeasing to be visible
- trickDeliberate deception
patter · audience · flourish · palming · switch · force · reveal · assistant
Alternate path around obstruction
- lostUnable to navigate
- reroutingSending by different path
- dead endPassage without outlet
- wrong wayOpposite of correct direction
confusion · disorientation · wayward · off-course · astray · misguidance · wandering · wrong address
False data spread unintentionally
- misunderstandingFailure to grasp meaning
- unclear instructionsDirections lacking clarity
- ambiguityOpenness to multiple interpretations
- confusionMental disorientation or bewilderment
miscommunication · garbled · vague · mixed signals · inaccuracy · misstatement · distortion · propaganda
misleading
Causing false beliefs
distraction · decoy · smokescreen · red herring · subterfuge · bluff · sleight · false trail · cover-up · obfuscation
sleight of hand
Skillful manual deception
- illusionMisleading sensory impression
- prestidigitationSkillful hand-based illusions
- vanishingCeasing to be visible
trick · patter · audience · flourish · palming · switch · force · reveal · assistant · stage
detour
Alternate path around obstruction
wrong way · confusion · disorientation · wayward · off-course · astray · misguidance · wandering · wrong address · bad directions
misinformation
False data spread unintentionally
- misunderstandingFailure to grasp meaning
- unclear instructionsDirections lacking clarity
- ambiguityOpenness to multiple interpretations
confusion · miscommunication · garbled · vague · mixed signals · inaccuracy · misstatement · distortion · propaganda · spin
misdirectionsclarifications
Statements removing ambiguity
focus · illuminations · enlightenment · elucidations · orientations