
Misconstrue
Context Matters
Consider the situation and tone when interpreting words to avoid misreading them.

He was joking, but she misconstrued his sarcasm as seriousness.
Not Always Negative
'Misconstrue' doesn't only apply to negative statements, it can also happen with positive ones.

His enthusiasm was misconstrued as sarcasm by the audience.
Avoid Assumptions
Don't assume you understand intent; ask questions if unsure to prevent misconstruing.

She misconstrued his silence as agreement, but he actually had doubts.
Compare with
MisapplyMisconceiveMisinterpretMisjudgeMisreadMisunderstand
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