The past tense of 'misspeak,' meaning to say something unintentionally incorrect, inaccurate, or inappropriate. This often involves a slip of the tongue, a factual error, or a poorly chosen phrase that leads to misunderstanding or offense. The context usually implies a genuine lack of intent to mislead or cause harm, differentiating it from deliberate falsehood or deception. It can also refer to incorrect phrasing or improper word choice. Often the speaker needs to correct the mistake, clarifying the intention to convey the accurate statement or meaning.
Mispoke meaning with examples
- During the live broadcast, the anchor mispoke, accidentally calling the senator by the wrong name. She immediately apologized and corrected her error, attributing it to exhaustion from a long day of reporting. Despite the slip-up, she quickly recovered and continued the interview without further incident, proving her professionalism and quick-thinking.
- He mispoke during his presentation, citing an outdated statistic. Realizing his mistake, he paused, acknowledged the error, and provided the correct information, ensuring the audience received accurate data. His honesty in admitting the blunder earned him even more respect than before his mistake.
- Trying to comfort a friend, she mispoke and inadvertently mentioned a sensitive topic she thought was off-limits. Realizing her blunder, she immediately apologized, explaining she didn't mean to bring it up, emphasizing how she hoped she didn't hurt her friend.
- In the heat of the debate, the candidate mispoke, confusing two policy details. His opponent quickly capitalized on the error, attempting to discredit his understanding of the issues. However, the candidate corrected himself, clarifying his stance and minimizing the impact of the misunderstanding.
- The witness mispoke when recalling a detail from the crime scene, causing the defense attorney to question his testimony. However, when the error was noted, he acknowledged the lapse in memory, helping the judge and jury to ascertain the truth of the overall scenario.