What context can I use each word in?
Learn when and how to use these words with these examples!
wrongheaded
Example
His wrongheaded insistence on doing things his way caused the project to fail. [wrongheaded: adjective]
Example
The company's wrongheaded decision to cut corners resulted in a product recall. [wrongheaded: adjective]
misguided
Example
Her misguided belief that vaccines cause autism led her to refuse to vaccinate her children. [misguided: adjective]
Example
The government's misguided attempt to solve the homelessness crisis only made things worse. [misguided: adjective]
Good things to know
Which word is more common?
Misguided is more commonly used than wrongheaded in everyday language. Misguided is versatile and covers a wide range of contexts, while wrongheaded is less common and may be considered more formal or literary.
What’s the difference in the tone of formality between wrongheaded and misguided?
While both wrongheaded and misguided can be used in formal contexts, wrongheaded may be considered more formal or literary due to its less common usage and compound word structure.
