01
verfehlt
inappropriate
Not reaching the intended goal; unsuitable, wrong, or inappropriate.
example
Seine Bemerkung in dieser ernsten Situation war völlig verfehlt.
His remark in this serious situation was completely inappropriate.
verfehlt
misguided / inappropriate
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Meanings
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Usage tips
Word structure
'Verfehlt' (misguided/inappropriate) is the past participle of the verb 'verfehlen' (to miss/fail to reach). It therefore describes something that has 'verfehlt' (missed) its goal and is therefore inappropriate or unsuccessful.
EXAMPLE
Der Versuch, die Situation zu retten, war leider völlig verfehlt.
The attempt to save the situation was unfortunately completely misguided.
Typical collocations
This adjective is often used with abstract nouns to express that something was inappropriate or wrong. Typical examples are 'eine verfehlte Politik' (a misguided policy), 'eine verfehlte Frage' (an inappropriate question), or 'ein verfehlter Witz' (an inappropriate joke).
EXAMPLE
Seine Kritik war gut gemeint, aber im Ton völlig verfehlt.
His criticism was well meant, but the tone was completely inappropriate.
Fixed collocation
In the meaning of an unfulfilled life, 'verfehlt' (unfulfilled/misguided) is used almost exclusively in the fixed collocation 'ein verfehltes Leben' (an unfulfilled life). It has a very strong, often tragic meaning.
EXAMPLE
Der Roman handelt von einem Künstler, der glaubt, ein verfehltes Leben geführt zu haben.
The novel is about an artist who believes he has led an unfulfilled life.
Compare with
verfehlt vs richtig
correct / right
'richtig' and 'verfehlt' can be opposites when talking about a decision, reaction, or measure. In that case, 'richtig' means suitable for the situation or appropriate for achieving a goal. 'verfehlt' means that something misses the point or is not appropriate. 'richtig' sounds neutral and everyday. 'verfehlt' is often somewhat more formal and is used when criticizing an action or assessment.
verfehlt
Die harte Kritik war in dieser Situation völlig verfehlt.
The harsh criticism was completely inappropriate in this situation.
richtig
Für dieses Problem war eine ruhige Erklärung die richtige Reaktion.
For this problem, a calm explanation was the right reaction.
In real life
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