misleading
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misleading
Something that creates a false impression or leads to a wrong conclusion. It deceives or leads someone in the wrong direction, either intentionally or unintentionally.
Die Werbung war irreführend, da das Produkt nicht die versprochenen Eigenschaften besaß.
The advertising was misleading because the product did not have the promised features.
The word is made up of 'irre' and 'führend'. 'Führend' is the present participle of 'führen' (to lead). The prefix 'irre-' here means 'wrong' or 'onto the wrong path.' Literally, something therefore leads you astray.
Die unklare Beschilderung war für Touristen sehr irreführend.
The unclear signage was very misleading for tourists.
The word belongs to the word family of 'führen' (to guide, to direct). The prefix 'irre-' changes the meaning in a negative way, similar to 'irren' (to be mistaken) or 'der Irrtum' (the error/mistake). Recognizing the stem 'führen' helps with understanding.
Lass dich von seinem Lächeln nicht in die Irre führen.
Don't let his smile lead you astray.
'Irreführend' (misleading) is often used to describe communication or information. Typical nouns are: 'irreführende Werbung' (misleading advertising), 'irreführende Angaben' (misleading information), 'eine irreführende Aussage' (a misleading statement), or 'ein irreführender Titel' (a misleading title).
Der Titel des Artikels war absichtlich irreführend, um mehr Klicks zu bekommen.
The title of the article was intentionally misleading in order to get more clicks.
clear
'klar' and 'irreführend' are opposites when it comes to information, explanations, or statements. 'klar' means that something is easy to understand and unambiguous. 'irreführend' means that something gives a false impression or makes someone think in the wrong direction. So a clear piece of information helps with understanding, while a misleading piece of information can lead to a mistake. This difference is especially important in instructions, advertising, or news.
Die Überschrift ist irreführend, weil der Text etwas anderes sagt.
The headline is misleading because the text says something different.
Die Wegbeschreibung war klar, deshalb fanden wir das Haus sofort.
The directions were clear, so we found the house right away.