Misguidance often leads to confusion and poor decisions. In this post, we explore 20 expressions that vividly illustrate the concept of being led astray, helping you understand and identify misguidance in everyday conversations.
1. Lead someone astray
Meaning: Mislead, deceive
Example: He led her astray with false promises.
2. Bark up the wrong tree
Meaning: Misdirect efforts
Example: You’re barking up the wrong tree by blaming her.
3. Throw off the scent
Meaning: Mislead deliberately
Example: He threw the cops off the scent during the investigation.
4. Wild goose chase
Meaning: Futile pursuit
Example: Searching for that file was a wild goose chase.
5. Go down the rabbit hole
Meaning: Into a misleading situation
Example: They went down the rabbit hole of conspiracy theories.
6. Pull the wool over someone’s eyes
Meaning: Deceive someone
Example: He pulled the wool over her eyes about his qualifications.
7. Send on a snipe hunt
Meaning: Foolish or wild search
Example: The interns were sent on a snipe hunt for nonexistent files.
8. Off the beaten track
Meaning: Misleading or unusual path
Example: His advice took me off the beaten track financially.
9. Chase shadows
Meaning: Pursue illusions
Example: He’s just chasing shadows with those unrealistic plans.
10. Lead up the garden path
Meaning: Deceive or mislead
Example: She was led up the garden path by his charming words.
11. Take for a ride
Meaning: Deceive or cheat
Example: The tourists were taken for a ride with overpriced tours.
12. Put on the wrong track
Meaning: Misguide deliberately
Example: Misinformation put him on the wrong track.
13. Skew the truth
Meaning: Distort reality
Example: Politicians often skew the truth during campaigns.
14. Throw someone off balance
Meaning: Confuse or unsettle
Example: His sudden question threw her off balance.
15. Pull someone’s leg
Meaning: Jokingly mislead
Example: I was just pulling your leg about quitting my job!
16. Mislead by example
Meaning: Guide wrongly by behavior
Example: Parents mislead by example when they argue violently.
17. Twist someone’s arm
Meaning: Coerce or force
Example: He twisted her arm into signing the deal.
18. Cloud someone’s judgement
Meaning: Obscure the truth
Example: His flattery clouded her judgement about his intentions.
19. Sell a pup
Meaning: Deceive someone in a deal
Example: They really sold me a pup with this useless gadget.
20. Spin a yarn
Meaning: Tell a deceptive tale
Example: He can spin a yarn to get out of any trouble.
