mismatch

1 of 2

noun

mis·​match ˈmis-ˌmach How to pronounce mismatch (audio)
plural mismatches
: a faulty or unsuitable match
New England plays St. Louis in Super Bowl XXXVI this evening, and on the face of it, this game is a mismatch, a blowout waiting to happen.—William C. Rhoden
She is blood type O, and the donor heart and lungs she received in the first operation were blood type A. That mismatch triggered rejection by her immune system.—Dan Vergano

mismatch

2 of 2

verb

mis·​match ˌmis-ˈmach How to pronounce mismatch (audio)
mismatched; mismatching

transitive verb

: to match (two people or things) wrongly or unsuitably
Let's say that you are afraid of boring your audience. One cause is mismatching the audience's need and the level of detail you provide.—Liz Reyer

Examples of mismatch in a Sentence

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
At the core of the issue is a mismatch between how identity systems are built and how autonomous systems behave. — Oded Hareven, Forbes.com, 4 Aug. 2026 Getting brighter Headlight regulation didn’t emerge from a single incident so much as from a steady mismatch between early motor vehicles and roads still designed for horses and pedestrians. — Matthew MacConnell, ArsTechnica, 3 Aug. 2026
Verb
This mismatched manicure pairs shades of green on one hand with a gray-and-pink combination on the other, creating a playful contrast that feels both unexpected and effortlessly cool. — Amanda Le, InStyle, 30 July 2026 Still, a missing or mismatched statement gives you a strong reason to leave the page and verify the site elsewhere. — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 30 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for mismatch

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1606, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1582, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of mismatch was in 1582

Rhymes for mismatch

See All Rhymes for mismatch

Browse Nearby Words

mismarriage
mismatch
mismatched
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Mismatch.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mismatch. Accessed 5 Aug. 2026.

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Kids Definition

mismatch

verb
mis·​match
(ˈ)mis-ˈmach
: to match unsuitably or badly
mismatch noun

More from Merriam-Webster on mismatch

Nglish: Translation of mismatch for Spanish Speakers

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