Misjudges

To misjudge is to form an incorrect or inaccurate opinion, assessment, or conclusion about something or someone. It involves making an error in judgment, often stemming from inadequate information, faulty reasoning, or a failure to consider all relevant factors. This can lead to negative consequences, as decisions and actions based on a misjudgment are likely to be ineffective or even harmful. Misjudging often occurs in areas like character assessment, estimating distances or quantities, or evaluating a situation's complexity and potential outcome. The consequences range from minor embarrassments to significant losses or irreversible damage.

Misjudges meaning with examples

• The captain misjudges the distance to the iceberg, leading to a collision. The ship's crew trusted his experience, but fog and poor visibility created a critical blind spot. They assumed he was considering the speed of both the ship and the iceberg, but instead he focused on the wrong factors. The resulting damage endangered everyone on board, and the captain was held accountable.
• The investor misjudges the market trend and loses a considerable amount of money. Confident that their insights were superior to everyone else's, they invested heavily in a volatile sector, ignoring expert warnings. This oversight caused them to lose their nest egg. The market's unexpected shifts led to their downfall, demonstrating the dangers of overconfidence and incomplete data analysis.
• The teacher misjudges the student's potential and underestimates their capabilities. Believing the student would not understand the complexities of the topic, she set out to guide them through the simple basics, completely ignoring the student's high aptitude. The lack of proper challenge lead to the students academic decline and the teacher's loss of credibility.
• The hiring manager misjudges the candidate's skills and selects an unsuitable employee. During the interview, the manager was distracted by the interviewee's charm, overlooking the lack of concrete experience. Consequently, the new hire struggles in the role, causing delays and requiring extra training, proving the pitfalls of superficial assessments and the need for a rigorous evaluation process.
• The negotiator misjudges the opposing party's resolve, leading to a failed deal. The mediator saw their opponent as weak and made aggressive demands. He quickly learned his actions lead to stalemate and the end of the deal. By incorrectly assessing the other side's limits, the negotiator failed to reach a resolution. This costly mistake highlighted the importance of empathy and accurate information gathering.