misunderstood
adjective
mis·un·der·stood
(ˌ)mi-ˌsən-dər-ˈstu̇d 
1
: wrongly or imperfectly understood
a misunderstood question
Mondegreens are misunderstood lyrics, and when we asked our readers for their favorites, not surprisingly the most familiar ones got multiple votes.—
Dave Tianen
Dave Tianen2
: not sympathetically appreciated
[Shorty] Rossi has become a name in the animal rescue community for his fierce advocacy for the interests of the pit bull, which he sees as a misunderstood breed.—Publisher's Weekly
Publisher's WeeklyHe speaks proudly and protectively of his two directing efforts as if they were beloved but misunderstood children, and he's touchingly eager to explain their unappreciated virtues.—Ron Rosenbaum
Ron RosenbaumExamples of misunderstood in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
This is one of the most misunderstood myths about credit scoring.
—Michelle Singletary, Washington Post, 17 Apr. 2024
For the first time live, fans can witness Tia Pepa, who can control the weather with her emotions; her husband Felix; their daughter Dolores, with her gift to hear; and Bruno, the mysterious and misunderstood Madrigal family member whose visions foretold the future.
—Esther Piccolino, Miami Herald, 1 Apr. 2024
Premiering on Peacock March 18, Stormy, Gibson’s documentary about Daniels, is a complex, deeply compassionate, often frustrating portrait of a widely misunderstood individual.
—Ej Dickson, Rolling Stone, 18 Mar. 2024
But it’s been largely misunderstood and ignored for most of that time.
—Claire Maldarelli, Popular Science, 14 Feb. 2024
This is one of the most misunderstood myths about credit scoring, Dornhelm said.
—Michelle Singletary, Washington Post, 4 Oct. 2023
It is now misunderstood to be a serious inquiry, rather than a simple greeting.
—Jacobina Martin, Washington Post, 4 Sep. 2023
Translation is often misunderstood as a one-to-one decryption of a foreign word or phrase.
—Rachel Shin, Fortune, 5 July 2023
Yet, many of the classic songs that casual listeners assume are patriotic are anything but, from misunderstood anti-war protests to singalong favorites masking darker meanings.
—Maeve McDermott, USA TODAY, 29 June 2023
Michelle Singletary, Washington Post, 17 Apr. 2024
For the first time live, fans can witness Tia Pepa, who can control the weather with her emotions; her husband Felix; their daughter Dolores, with her gift to hear; and Bruno, the mysterious and misunderstood Madrigal family member whose visions foretold the future.
—Esther Piccolino, Miami Herald, 1 Apr. 2024
Premiering on Peacock March 18, Stormy, Gibson’s documentary about Daniels, is a complex, deeply compassionate, often frustrating portrait of a widely misunderstood individual.
—Ej Dickson, Rolling Stone, 18 Mar. 2024
But it’s been largely misunderstood and ignored for most of that time.
—Claire Maldarelli, Popular Science, 14 Feb. 2024
This is one of the most misunderstood myths about credit scoring, Dornhelm said.
—Michelle Singletary, Washington Post, 4 Oct. 2023
It is now misunderstood to be a serious inquiry, rather than a simple greeting.
—Jacobina Martin, Washington Post, 4 Sep. 2023
Translation is often misunderstood as a one-to-one decryption of a foreign word or phrase.
—Rachel Shin, Fortune, 5 July 2023
Yet, many of the classic songs that casual listeners assume are patriotic are anything but, from misunderstood anti-war protests to singalong favorites masking darker meanings.
—Maeve McDermott, USA TODAY, 29 June 2023
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'misunderstood.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near misunderstood
Cite this Entry
“Misunderstood.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/misunderstood. Accessed 24 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share