diff --git a/expect/_build_message.ts b/expect/_build_message.ts
index 4678a46eb106..059b30de6a2b 100644
--- a/expect/_build_message.ts
+++ b/expect/_build_message.ts
@@ -6,10 +6,19 @@ import { diffStr } from "@std/internal/diff-str";
 import { format } from "@std/internal/format";
 import type { EqualOptions } from "./_types.ts";
 
-type EqualErrorMessageOptions = Pick<
-  EqualOptions,
-  "formatter" | "msg"
->;
+type EqualErrorMessageOptions =
+  & Pick<
+    EqualOptions,
+    "formatter" | "msg"
+  >
+  & {
+    /**
+     * Overrides the default "Values are not equal." headline. Set by matchers
+     * (such as toMatchObject) that don't actually test for equality and would
+     * otherwise mislead the reader.
+     */
+    summary?: string;
+  };
 
 function isString(value: unknown): value is string {
   return typeof value === "string";
@@ -20,12 +29,13 @@ export function buildEqualErrorMessage<T>(
   expected: T,
   options: EqualErrorMessageOptions = {},
 ): string {
-  const { formatter = format, msg } = options;
+  const { formatter = format, msg, summary = "Values are not equal." } =
+    options;
   const msgPrefix = msg ? `${msg}: ` : "";
   const actualString = formatter(actual);
   const expectedString = formatter(expected);
 
-  let message = `${msgPrefix}Values are not equal.`;
+  let message = `${msgPrefix}${summary}`;
 
   const stringDiff = isString(actual) && isString(expected);
   const diffResult = stringDiff
diff --git a/expect/_matchers.ts b/expect/_matchers.ts
index 3c74bf0b7047..f53244ee0065 100644
--- a/expect/_matchers.ts
+++ b/expect/_matchers.ts
@@ -603,7 +603,12 @@ export function toMatchObject(
       );
     } else {
       const subset = getObjectSubset(received, expected, context.customTesters);
-      const defaultMessage = buildEqualErrorMessage(subset, expected);
+      // toMatchObject is a subset check, not equality. Override the default
+      // "Values are not equal." headline so the failure message describes
+      // what actually went wrong (see #6999).
+      const defaultMessage = buildEqualErrorMessage(subset, expected, {
+        summary: "Object does not match the expected pattern.",
+      });
       throw new AssertionError(
         context.customMessage
           ? `${context.customMessage}: ${defaultMessage}`
diff --git a/expect/_to_match_object_test.ts b/expect/_to_match_object_test.ts
index 8b58b360a21f..0cbc55ddceb9 100644
--- a/expect/_to_match_object_test.ts
+++ b/expect/_to_match_object_test.ts
@@ -299,3 +299,19 @@ Deno.test("expect().toMatchObject() displays a diff", async (t) => {
     assertMatch(e.message, /999/);
   });
 });
+
+Deno.test(
+  "expect().toMatchObject() failure headline describes a subset match, not equality (#6999)",
+  () => {
+    const e = assertThrows(
+      () =>
+        expect({ position: { x: 0, y: "string" } })
+          .toMatchObject({ position: { x: 0, y: 0 } }),
+      AssertionError,
+    );
+    // The headline must not claim equality, because toMatchObject is a
+    // subset check. The diff body is still produced by the same helper.
+    assertMatch(e.message, /Object does not match the expected pattern\./);
+    assertNotMatch(e.message, /Values are not equal\./);
+  },
+);