misplace

USAGE SUMMARY

The word 'misplace' is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when you want to describe something that has been put in the wrong place or has been lost and cannot be found. Example sentence: I must have misplaced my keys, because I can't find them anywhere.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

57 human-written examples

Google will bring voice-activated commands to TV, handy for those who misplace the remote.

The Economist

For example, because it is normally strapped to its owner, it is harder to misplace than a flash drive or memory stick.

The Economist

The thing about wearing a boarding pass on your wrist is that it is both impossible to misplace and is always immediately to hand.The one thing that concerns me is being faced with the incredulity of an official at the gate.

The Economist

It is like molten glass: you can stretch it, shape it, chop it, misspell, mispronounce or misinflect it, cruelly misplace its elements and somehow you still end with English.

The Economist

Letters are welcome via e-mail to [email protected] of stateSIR – You misplace your criticism when you argue that the worst result of the recent settlement with Merrill Lynch concerning conflicts of interest and analysts is that it was reached at state level ("Thunderstruck", May 25th).

The Economist

"I don't know if tomorrow the (anti-doping) representative, because of their unprofessionalism, because of their negligence, because of their inability to explain the rules in a proper way, I don't know if they're going to misplace the test that I have or anything worse than that.

Independent

The moment I thought I had well and truly cracked it, and that I would never misplace my favourite spice vendor again, the scaffolding would shift and I would once again lose my bearings, in the process always discovering some new stall or vendor.

Independent

You'd have to misplace your moral compass to think these slurs have any place in a sports stadium, or anywhere in the civilised world.

Independent

Having multiple compartments and a padded area for laptops, it even has a hook for your house keys ensuring you'll never misplace them again.

Independent

Sunil's sister, Sunita, was two years younger; when he was small, he'd lost her for a week, but he had been careful not to misplace her after that.

The New Yorker

You don't have a charger to misplace, you know it will always work when you open it, and you can throw it across a room if you don't like the ending".

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "misplace" when you want to emphasize that something was put in a wrong or forgotten location, rather than simply lost through other means.

Common error

Avoid using "misplace" when the item's disappearance is due to theft or other circumstances unrelated to where it was put. "Lose" is more appropriate in those cases.

Linguistic Context

The primary grammatical function of "misplace" is as a transitive verb. It describes the action of putting something in the wrong place or forgetting where one has put something. Ludwig AI confirms its correct usage across various contexts.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

90%

Formal & Business

5%

Science

5%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "misplace" functions as a transitive verb used to describe putting something in the wrong location or forgetting where you put it. Ludwig AI confirms it is grammatically correct and commonly used, particularly in news and media contexts. While "lose" can be used as a general synonym, "misplace" specifically implies the action of putting something in the wrong place. It's best to use "misplace" when the item's disappearance is related to where it was put, and avoid it when the loss is due to other circumstances. The word maintains a neutral register, making it suitable for diverse communication scenarios.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

lose

A general term for no longer having something, which can be due to misplacement, theft, or other causes.

mislay

Similar to "misplace" but often implies a temporary loss or forgetting where something was put.

cannot find

Indicates the inability to locate something, without necessarily implying it was misplaced.

put in the wrong place

Directly describes the action of placing something incorrectly, leading to it being lost or difficult to find.

forget where one put

Highlights the mental aspect of forgetting the location of an item.

leave behind

Suggests accidentally abandoning an item, leading to its loss or misplacement.

displace

To take something from its proper place.

be deprived of

More formal and general, indicating a loss of possession.

suffer the loss of

Emphasizes the negative experience of losing something, adding emotional weight.

no longer possess

Formally states the absence of ownership or control over an item.

FAQs

How is "misplace" different from "lose"?

"Misplace" implies putting something in the wrong location or forgetting where you put it, while "lose" is a more general term for no longer having something, regardless of how it disappeared. You "lose" something due to theft or misplacement.

What can I say instead of "misplace"?

Depending on the context, you can use alternatives like "lose", "mislay", or "cannot find".

Is it correct to say "I misplaced my keys"?

Yes, "I misplaced my keys" is grammatically correct and commonly used to indicate that you put your keys somewhere and now cannot remember where.

What does it mean to "misplace" your trust?

Figuratively, to "misplace" your trust means to give your trust to someone who is undeserving or unreliable. You can also say that you have "put your trust in the wrong person".