Vilseledd

Vilseledd is a Norwegian word used as an adjective or past participle meaning that someone or something has been led astray or misled. It describes a state resulting from deception or faulty guidance, typically referring to people who have accepted false information or misleading conduct as true.

Etymology and form: the term is formed from vilse, related to misdirection or confusion, combined with a suffix that marks the result of an action, yielding a descriptor for the person or thing affected. The related noun vilseledning denotes the act or effect of misguidance, while vilseledende describes something that tends to mislead.

Usage and nuance: vilseledd is commonly used to express that a person has been misled, for example, Han ble vilseledd av falske påstander. It can describe a person, a decision, or a line of reasoning that has been compromised by deceptive information. In modern Norwegian, vilseledende is frequently used to characterize information, statements, or tactics that are misleading, while vilseledd emphasizes the outcome for the affected party.

Context: the term appears in journalism, law, and everyday language to convey the impact of deception. It is closely related to, but distinct from, vilseledning (the act of misguiding) and vilseledende (misleading in nature). In formal writing, vilseledende is often preferred for describing misleading information, whereas vilseledd highlights the experience of being misled.

See also: vilseledning, vilseledende, mislead.