under a misapprehension

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "under a misapprehension" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when someone is mistaken or has a misunderstanding about a situation or information. Example: "She was under a misapprehension that the meeting was scheduled for Friday instead of Thursday."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

6 human-written examples

"Parliament made a gracious act under a misapprehension," he said.

The Guardian

According to what he told Captain Less, he joined the S.D. under a misapprehension.

The New Yorker

Those who believe they witnessed the English spirit collapse like a bad soufflé within the time it took for Peter Siddle to produce his first day hat-trick found themselves labouring under a misapprehension today.

The Guardian - Sport

The latter appeared to be labouring under a misapprehension which could only be cultivated by the perpetually daft – namely that to suggest there are better ways of tackling spiralling childhood obesity than bullying your child behind closed doors, is to condone or even promote spiralling childhood obesity.

Independent

"People are under a misapprehension that they have this partnership that's formed - it's not, they have hardly played together," continued Pardew.

BBC

We would not react by saying 'That is false' but would rather say something like 'What do you mean?' or 'You must be under a misapprehension'.

SEP

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

53 human-written examples

I had arrived at the market under something of a misapprehension, thinking it was going to be a rusticated reincarnation of the late Hold Everything (a competitor of the Container Store also owned by Williams-Sonoma).

The New York Times

A judge said residents were "under something of a misapprehension" regarding the equipment and risks.

BBC

"The ultimate decision as to where the balance of the public interest lies is a matter for the courts and not for the executive – and any [foreign] country providing intelligence to the UK which understood otherwise would be labouring under a fundamental misapprehension," Vassall-Adams said.

The Guardian

Yet such hopes labor under a similar misapprehension.

Los Angeles Times

This was a misapprehension.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "under a misapprehension", ensure the context clearly indicates what the specific misunderstanding is to avoid ambiguity. For example, specify the fact or situation the person misunderstands.

Common error

Avoid confusing "misapprehension", which means a misunderstanding, with "apprehension", which means anxiety or fear. Ensure you're using the correct term to convey your intended meaning.

Linguistic Context

"Under a misapprehension" functions as a prepositional phrase modifying a verb or noun, indicating the condition or state in which someone is acting or believing something. Ludwig confirms that the phrase is correct and usable in written English, indicating a state of being mistaken.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

65%

Science

15%

Encyclopedias

10%

Less common in

Formal & Business

5%

Wiki

3%

Reference

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "under a misapprehension" is a grammatically correct and useful idiom for expressing that someone is operating with a mistaken understanding of a situation. As shown by Ludwig, it is most frequently found in news and media, but also appears in scientific and encyclopedia contexts. It is important to distinguish "misapprehension" from similar-sounding words like "apprehension". When using "under a misapprehension", clarity is key; ensure the context makes it clear what the specific misunderstanding is to avoid ambiguity. Several alternatives exist, such as "under a mistaken notion" or ""in error"", offering flexibility in phrasing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

under the wrong impression

Replaces "a misapprehension" with "the wrong impression", focusing on the incorrect understanding.

under a mistaken notion

Uses "mistaken notion" in place of "misapprehension", conveying a sense of an incorrect idea.

laboring under a false impression

Replaces "misapprehension" with "false impression", emphasizing the incorrectness of the belief.

under a false assumption

Emphasizes the role of an incorrect assumption in leading to the misunderstanding.

operating under a delusion

Substitutes "misapprehension" with "delusion", suggesting a stronger, potentially irrational, false belief.

under an illusion

Suggests a deceptive appearance that leads to a misunderstanding.

mistakenly believing

Highlights the act of incorrectly believing something to be true.

misled

A single word that directly indicates the state of being led to an incorrect understanding.

not aware of the true facts

Focuses on the lack of knowledge of the correct information.

in error

A concise phrase indicating a state of being incorrect or mistaken.

FAQs

How can I use "under a misapprehension" in a sentence?

You can use "under a misapprehension" to indicate that someone has an incorrect understanding of something. For example: "He was "under a misapprehension" that the project was already completed."

What's a simple way to say "under a misapprehension"?

You can replace "under a misapprehension" with simpler phrases like "mistakenly believing" or "in error" to convey the same meaning.

Is it better to use "under a misapprehension" or "under a misconception"?

"Under a misapprehension" and "under a misconception" are very similar. "Misapprehension" might suggest a slightly more active misunderstanding, while "misconception" might imply a passively held incorrect belief, but they are often interchangeable.

What's the difference between "misapprehension" and "apprehension"?

"Misapprehension" refers to a misunderstanding or incorrect understanding, while "apprehension" refers to anxiety or fear about something that might happen. They have completely different meanings.