Misremember

To fail to remember something accurately; to recall an event, fact, or detail incorrectly. This can involve forgetting entirely, altering the details, or conflating separate events. The inaccuracy stems from flawed memory processes, which may be influenced by biases, suggestions, or the passage of time. Misremembering highlights the reconstructive nature of memory, where past experiences are not simply retrieved, but actively rebuilt, and therefore susceptible to errors.

Misremember meaning with examples

• I misremembered the date of the meeting; I thought it was on Thursday, but it was actually Wednesday. This caused me to miss important information that I now regret. I need to be more careful with my scheduling and write down the events immediately to improve recall accuracy.
• She often misremembers childhood events, attributing characteristics of one incident to another, as if they occurred simultaneously. The story changes subtly each time she recounts it, so it's difficult to know the original truth. These embellishments show memory's fallibility.
• The witness's testimony was questionable as they were misremembering details of the crime scene, including the color of the getaway car. The defense pointed out these inconsistencies to highlight potential bias and undermine the accuracy of the statement. Such errors are understandable after stressful events.
• I misremember the instructions and started the project wrong. This forced me to start over and wasted a lot of time, proving how important it is to pay attention to directions and, perhaps, jot down the details to verify later. Now I will read the document carefully again.