mishearings
Wrongly caught words
Mishearings are instances of hearing something incorrectly—perceiving words or sounds other than what was actually said.
The term often applies to song lyrics misheard so consistently they become almost canonical: For years I thought the lyric was "wrapped up like a douche".
Misperceived lyric or phrase
- eggcornMisheard phrase that persists
- double-takeDelayed show of surprise
- punchlineHumor's final delivery
- misquoteInaccurate citation
gaffe · blooper · blunder · flub · outtake · absurdity · wordplay · pun
Misperceived lyric or phrase
- misquoteInaccurate citation
- chorusSingers performing together
- refrainAbstain from acting
- verseMetered poetic passage
karaoke · singalong · anthem · earworm · garbled · mumbled · misremembered · cover
Misperceived lyric or phrase
- eggcornMisheard phrase that persists
- mumblingIndistinct, quiet speech
- muffledMade quieter, less distinct
- slurringIndistinct, blurred speech
garbled · indistinct · faint · whispered · static · distortion · background noise · unclear
Misperceived lyric or phrase
- eggcornMisheard phrase that persists
- homophoneIdentically pronounced, differently spelled word
- malapropismSound-alike word confusion
- spoonerismAccidental sound transposition
phoneme · syllable · consonant · vowel · accent · dialect · slang · jargon
Act of redoing
- rephrasingRestating in other words
- enunciationClarity of spoken words
- spelling outStating something explicitly
- confirmationEstablishing something as true
verification · correction · apology · embarrassment · misunderstanding · miscommunication · context · disambiguation
mondegreen
Misperceived lyric or phrase
- eggcornMisheard phrase that persists
- double-takeDelayed show of surprise
- punchlineHumor's final delivery
misquote · gaffe · blooper · blunder · flub · outtake · absurdity · wordplay · pun · slapstick
mondegreen
Misperceived lyric or phrase
verse · karaoke · singalong · anthem · earworm · garbled · mumbled · misremembered · cover · parody
mondegreen
Misperceived lyric or phrase
- eggcornMisheard phrase that persists
- mumblingIndistinct, quiet speech
- muffledMade quieter, less distinct
slurring · garbled · indistinct · faint · whispered · static · distortion · background noise · unclear · inaudible
mondegreen
Misperceived lyric or phrase
- eggcornMisheard phrase that persists
- homophoneIdentically pronounced, differently spelled word
- malapropismSound-alike word confusion
spoonerism · phoneme · syllable · consonant · vowel · accent · dialect · slang · jargon · mumbling
repetition
Act of redoing
- rephrasingRestating in other words
- enunciationClarity of spoken words
- spelling outStating something explicitly
confirmation · verification · correction · apology · embarrassment · misunderstanding · miscommunication · context · disambiguation · restatement