To misdirect means to point someone in the wrong direction, either accidentally or on purpose. When you give someone directions to the library but accidentally send them toward the gym instead, you've misdirected them. When a magician waves a colorful scarf with one hand to make you look away while the other hand hides a coin, that's deliberate misdirection.

The word appears often in magic and mystery stories. Magicians are masters of misdirection: they direct your attention to something flashy or interesting while the real trick happens somewhere you're not watching. A good mystery writer misdirects readers by making them suspect the wrong character, planting clues that point away from the true culprit.

Misdirection can happen in everyday situations too. If your friend asks where you got that bruise and you start talking about your weekend plans instead of answering the question, you're trying to misdirect their attention. During a debate, someone might misdirect the conversation away from a topic they don't want to discuss.

Whether intentional or accidental, misdirection sends people looking in the wrong place or thinking about the wrong thing.