mistargeting
Hitting wrong mark
Mistargeting is aiming at the wrong thing—directing resources, messages, or efforts toward unintended recipients or objectives.
The term appears most often in advertising and military contexts: The campaign's mistargeting meant ads for denture cream reached teenagers.
In warfare, mistargeting can mean striking civilians or allies instead of enemies.
Error in estimation
- misjudgmentFaulty evaluation of something
- blunderFoolish, costly mistake
- misfireFailure to discharge
- oversightSupervision or inadvertent omission
misstep · inaccuracy · flaw · glitch · bug · malfunction · failure · anomaly
Unintended harm from military action
- unintendedNot done on purpose
- blowbackUnintended negative consequences
- backfireYield unintended consequences
- falloutPost-blast atmospheric particles
ramifications · repercussions · aftermath · boomerang · adverse · harmful · detrimental · friendly fire
Improper positioning relative to reference
- deviationDeparture from expected path
- inaccuracyLack of precision
- calibrationAdjusting for measurement accuracy
- adjustmentAlteration to improve fit
correction · aiming · sighting · trajectory · scatter · dispersion · crosshairs · drift
Improper distribution of resources
- misguidedBased on poor judgment
- misdirectedSent the wrong way
- counterproductiveHindering intended outcome
- ineffectiveLacking power to achieve
waste · mismanagement · flawed · shortsighted · misuse · misspent · wrong audience · resource drain
miscalculation
Error in estimation
- misjudgmentFaulty evaluation of something
- blunderFoolish, costly mistake
- misfireFailure to discharge
oversight · misstep · inaccuracy · flaw · glitch · bug · malfunction · failure · anomaly · fault
collateral damage
Unintended harm from military action
- unintendedNot done on purpose
- blowbackUnintended negative consequences
- backfireYield unintended consequences
fallout · ramifications · repercussions · aftermath · boomerang · adverse · harmful · detrimental · friendly fire · bystander
misalignment
Improper positioning relative to reference
- deviationDeparture from expected path
- inaccuracyLack of precision
- calibrationAdjusting for measurement accuracy
adjustment · correction · aiming · sighting · trajectory · scatter · dispersion · crosshairs · drift · offset
misallocation
Improper distribution of resources
- misguidedBased on poor judgment
- misdirectedSent the wrong way
- counterproductiveHindering intended outcome
ineffective · waste · mismanagement · flawed · shortsighted · misuse · misspent · wrong audience · resource drain · opportunity cost
mistargetinghitting the mark
Achieving intended result
true aim · bull's-eye · pinpoint accuracy · bullseye · spot-on
mistargetingprecision
Accuracy of measurement
accuracy · targeted delivery · surgical precision · direct hit · spot-on
target, mistaken, targets, targeted, targeting, misdirect, misaim, retargeting, retarget