misgiving

1 of 2

noun

mis·​giv·​ing ˌmis-ˈgi-viŋ How to pronounce misgiving (audio)
Synonyms of misgiving
: a feeling of doubt or suspicion especially concerning a future event
Many people have expressed misgivings about his ability to do the job.

misgiving

2 of 2

present participle of misgive

Synonyms of misgiving

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Noun

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Examples of misgiving in a Sentence

Noun I felt some misgiving about his ability to do the job. They regarded the plan with misgiving.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
Wall Street analysts expressed misgivings due to expanding memory chip costs, questions over demand as product prices rise and continued pressure on profit margins, StreetAccount said. — Scott Schnipper, CNBC, 27 Aug. 2026 There will be controversy, grift and venality, supporters will get lost and lose themselves in a fog of legalese, accounting and abbreviations — VAR, SCR, LOL, FFS — there will be ugliness and misgivings and a lot of meh. — George Caulkin, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2026 And Tommy John himself had misgivings about being the name and face of the surgery. — Miami Herald, 17 Aug. 2026 In November 2024, Leo wrote an email to his senior colleague detailing his misgivings about their working relationship, as well as expressing concerns to managers and HR. — Jake Kanter, Deadline, 13 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for misgiving

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1582, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of misgiving was in 1582

Rhymes for misgiving

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Browse Nearby Words

misgive
misgiving
misgivingly
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Cite this Entry

“Misgiving.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/misgiving. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

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Kids Definition

misgiving

noun
mis·​giv·​ing (ˈ)mis-ˈgiv-iŋ How to pronounce misgiving (audio)
: a feeling of doubt or suspicion especially concerning a future event
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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