misportray
Show someone inaccurately
To misportray is to represent something or someone inaccurately or unfairly.
The word typically implies a distortion that does harm—a documentary that misportrays a community, a biography that misportrays its subject's motives: Critics accused the film of misportraying the events leading to the war.
Less common than misrepresent but more specific to depictions and portrayals.
Depict inaccurately or falsely
- distortTwist from original form
- caricatureExaggerated comic depiction
- exaggerateOverstate beyond truth
- falsifyDistort the truth
twist · skew · warp · pervert · misstate · misreport · contort · garble
Cause false belief
- fabricateInvent or manufacture
- lieDeliberate falsehood
- misleadCause false belief
- misinformConvey false details
dupe · hoodwink · defraud · swindle · bamboozle · hoax · dissemble · prevaricate
Grasp incorrectly
- misinterpretUnderstand something incorrectly
- misreadInterpret text incorrectly
- misjudgeEvaluate incorrectly
- misconstrueUnderstand incorrectly
misapprehend · mistake · confuse · oversimplify · muddle · bungle · blunder · gaffe
Fixed oversimplified notion
- prejudicePreformed unfavorable opinion
- discriminationUnjust differential treatment
- bigotryIntolerance toward differing views
- partialityUnfair favor toward some
chauvinism · ethnocentrism · xenophobia · sexism · racism · ageism · one-sided · partisan
misrepresent
Depict inaccurately or falsely
- distortTwist from original form
- caricatureExaggerated comic depiction
- exaggerateOverstate beyond truth
falsify · twist · skew · warp · pervert · misstate · misreport · contort · garble · mangle
deceive
Cause false belief
misinform · dupe · hoodwink · defraud · swindle · bamboozle · hoax · dissemble · prevaricate · disinform
misunderstand
Grasp incorrectly
- misinterpretUnderstand something incorrectly
- misreadInterpret text incorrectly
- misjudgeEvaluate incorrectly
misconstrue · misapprehend · mistake · confuse · oversimplify · muddle · bungle · blunder · gaffe · oversight
stereotype
Fixed oversimplified notion
- prejudicePreformed unfavorable opinion
- discriminationUnjust differential treatment
- bigotryIntolerance toward differing views
partiality · chauvinism · ethnocentrism · xenophobia · sexism · racism · ageism · one-sided · partisan · unfair