mixed message

noun

Any communication that is contradictory, inconsistent, or unclear, especially in its motive or intent; incongruence between somebody's actions and words.

“Don't you think it's sending a mixed message for the magazine to put "Lose Five Pounds in A Month" right next to "Ten Easy Desserts"?”

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Meanings

nounmixed message (plural mixed messages)

plural mixed messages

  1. idiomaticAny communication that is contradictory, inconsistent, or unclear, especially in its motive or intent; incongruence between somebody's actions and words.

    Don't you think it's sending a mixed message for the magazine to put "Lose Five Pounds in A Month" right next to "Ten Easy Desserts"?

    1 more example

    Of late, many who are wary of the vaccine say they have become more confused by what they see as mixed messages from federal health agencies and the White House.

    2021 October 11, Jan Hoffman, “Boosters Are Complicating Efforts to Persuade the Unvaccinated to Get Shots”, in The New York Times, →ISSN

Synonyms & antonyms

Also see
mixed signal
Cite this entry
APA

mixed message. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/mixed%20message

MLA

“mixed message.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/mixed%20message. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “mixed message,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/mixed%20message.

Source: mixed message on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.