misdirected

Misdirected is an adjective used to describe something that has been directed toward the wrong recipient or toward an incorrect aim. It can refer to physical delivery errors, such as a misdirected letter or package, as well as to non-physical contexts where effort, attention, or resources are applied inappropriately. In figurative use, misdirected commonly describes actions or impulses that fail to achieve their intended outcome because the target or objective is mistaken.

Etymology and related forms: The word combines the prefix mis-, meaning wrong or wrongly, with directed (the past participle of direct). The related noun misdirection refers to the act or result of guiding attention, as well as the technique in magic and deception. Misdirected contrasts with misguided (which often means wrongly guided in a broader, more moral sense) and misdirected may be used interchangeably with misrouted in some contexts.

Usage: In postal and logistics contexts, “misdirected mail” describes items delivered to the wrong address. In digital communications, “misdirected emails” occur when a message is sent to unintended recipients. In policy or project management, “misdirected resources” or “misdirected effort” describe allocations that do not align with the intended goals, often reducing effectiveness. In rhetoric and storytelling, misdirection is a separate concept used to conceal the real focus or to guide attention elsewhere; it is related but not synonymous with misdirected.

See also: misdirection, misdelivery, misaddressed, misguided.