2 syllables: Mis, led. Stress on led.
mis-LED
/mɪˈslɛd/
Misled is pronounced mis-LED (/mɪˈslɛd/). It has two syllables (Mis-led), with the stress on "led". Misled is the past tense of mislead, meaning to deceive or cause someone to have a false belief or impression. It refers to having led someone astray, whether intentionally or not, resulting in mistaken understanding or belief. The term often implies a turning away from the truth, with consequences that follow from the deception.
verbMisled is the past tense of mislead, meaning to deceive or cause someone to have a false belief or impression. It refers to having led someone astray, whether intentionally or not, resulting in mistaken understanding or belief. The term often implies a turning away from the truth, with consequences that follow from the deception.
- You may overemphasize the first syllable (mi-), making it sound like /ˈmɪl/ with a trailing \/d. Keep primary stress on the second syllable: /mɪˈlɛd/. - The /l/ can blend into the following vowel; practice a clear /l/ with a brief lift of the tongue to separate it from /ɛ/. - Final /d/ can be aspirated or devoiced in rapid speech; aim for a clean, brief alveolar stop with voice onset at the release.
"The campaign misled voters about the candidate's record."
"She felt misled after discovering the contract contained hidden fees."
"They were misled by outdated information in the report."
You pronounce it as /mɪˈlɛd/ in US English and /ˈmɪ.lɛd/ in some UK variants, with primary stress on the second syllable. Start with a short, lax 'mi' sound as in “kit” or “sit,” then the stressed 'led' rhymes with 'bed.' The mouth forms a short, closed front vowel /ɪ/ then a clear /l/ and a final /ɛd/. Visualize a brief 'mih-led' with the emphasis on the second syllable. Listen to native samples for subtle vowel durations.
Two frequent errors: (1) Overstressing the first syllable, producing /mɪˈlɛd/ with equal emphasis or misplacing the stress on the first syllable; (2) Slurring the /l/ into the following vowel, giving something like /mɪlˈɛd/ or /ˈmɪlɪd/. Correct by ensuring the primary stress is clearly on the second syllable and keeping a crisp /l/ followed by the short /ɛ/ before the final /d/. Practice by isolating the /l/ and holding it slightly longer than the vowel before it.
In US English, /mɪˈlɛd/ with stress on the second syllable and a pure /ɛ/. In some UK varieties, you may hear /ˌmɪˈlɛd/ with slightly tighter vowels and clearer /d/ at the end; the /ɪ/ in the first syllable tends to be shorter in fast speech. Australian speakers often render the final /d/ with less aspiration and may have a slightly more centralized /ɪ/ or /iː/ depending on speaker; still, the stress remains on the second syllable. Overall, the core is the same: second-syllable emphasis and the /l/ + /ɛd/ sequence.
The challenge lies in the two-syllable rhythm with a stressed second syllable and the quick transition from /l/ to /ɛ/ before the final /d/. This can cause a subtle vowel reduction in connected speech, and non-native speakers often misplace the stress or insert a schwa after /l/. Focus on a crisp /l/ closure and a short /ɛ/ before /d/, keeping the second syllable prominent. IPA cue: /mɪˈlɛd/ (US). When practicing, emphasize the /ɛ/ as a crisp, short vowel rather than a drawn-out sound.
Because the word ends with /d/, ensure you finish with a clean alveolar stop rather than a softened or swallowed ending. Place the tip of your tongue near the alveolar ridge for /d/, then a quick, voiced closure. Keep the preceding /l/ light but distinct, not turning into a glide. A simple drill: say mi-mmm, then quickly move to /led/ with a firm tongue contact just behind the teeth. This helps lock in the second-syllable stress and final stop.
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- US: /mɪˈlɛd/ with rhoticity unaffected. Focus on crisp /l/ and short /ɛ/. - UK: /mɪˈled/ or /ˈmɪlɛd/ depending on speaker; slightly shorter /ɪ/ and sharper /d/; keep second syllable strong. - AU: /ˈmɪlɪd/ or /mɪˈlɛd/ with less vowel reduction; ensure the final /d/ is clearly voiced. Use IPA cross-check: /mɪˈlɛd/ (US) vs /ˈmɪlɛd/ (UK) vs /ˈmɪləʊd/ (AU informal approximation).
Misled originates from the prefix mis- meaning ‘wrong, badly’ combined with led, the past tense of lead. The root verb lead (Old English lædan, from Proto-Germanic leidaną) has long carried meanings of guiding, directing, or bringing forth. The addition of mis- to form mislead first appears in Middle English as mislead (verb) to cause to go astray. Over time, mislead gained a strong moral connotation: deliberately causing someone to believe something false. The form misled (past tense) follows the standard English pattern where the base verb lead becomes led in past tense, which historically reflects vowel alternation (lead/led) dating back to Old English and Germanic stem changes. By 16th–17th centuries, mislead was common in legal and political prose to describe acts of deception, and its usage broadened into everyday language, retaining the sense of leading someone astray in beliefs or judgments. Modern usage keeps the sense of intentional or negligent misdirection, with the past tense misled used across narrative and reportorial contexts. The word sits at the intersection of moral judgment and action, often paired with consequences such as damaged trust and reputational harm.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "Misled" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "Misled"
-ead sounds
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