misplace

Meanings

1. 1verbtransitive

   To put something somewhere and then forget where you put it, so you cannot find it.

   Grammar: Takes an object: misplace your keys. Often used in the passive: my keys got misplaced.

   Patterns

   • misplace something
   • get something misplaced
   • misplace your trust in someone

   I've misplaced my glasses again; have you seen them?

   She often misplaces her phone and has to call it from another line.

   Don't misplace your trust in people who don't deserve it.

2. 2verbtransitive

   To lose something temporarily, especially because you cannot remember where you left it.

   Grammar: Takes an object. Often used in the passive: the file was misplaced.

   Patterns

   • misplace something
   • something is misplaced

   The important document was misplaced during the move.

   He misplaced his wallet and spent an hour searching for it.

Word forms

Common combinations

misplace your keys

I always misplace my keys when I'm in a hurry.

misplace your trust

She misplaced her trust in a colleague who let her down.

get misplaced

Important papers often get misplaced in this office.

misplace something temporarily

I misplaced my ticket temporarily but found it in my coat pocket.

Synonyms and how they differ

lose

Can mean the item is gone for good, while misplace suggests it is only temporarily missing and likely still somewhere nearby.

mislay

A more formal or literary word with a very similar meaning; misplace is more common in everyday speech.

Opposites

Word family

misplaced adjective

Put in the wrong place, or (of feelings) directed at the wrong person or thing.

misplacement noun

The act of putting something in the wrong place or losing it temporarily.

Commonly confused: misplace or displace?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “misplace”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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