misunderstand

verb

mis·​un·​der·​stand (ˌ)mi-ˌsən-dər-ˈstand How to pronounce misunderstand (audio)
misunderstood (ˌ)mi-ˌsən-dər-ˈstu̇d How to pronounce misunderstand (audio) ; misunderstanding

transitive verb

1
: to fail to understand
2
: to interpret incorrectly

Examples of misunderstand in a Sentence

Don't misunderstand me—I'm not criticizing your decision. He feels that the critics have completely misunderstood his movies. She expressed herself in clear terms that no one could misunderstand.
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.
All of the Italian characters are just wonderful human beings, and a lot of the miscommunication is the two guys, Andrew and Nick, who played Dom and Cole are misunderstanding what is being presented in front of them. Glenn Garner, Deadline, 6 June 2025 Heard said investors tend to misunderstand Adobe’s deliberate approach to AI monetization as its creative workflow translates raw AI material into competitive intelectual property. Pia Singh,yun Li, CNBC, 14 May 2025 In committee hearings, King and Hefner appeared to misunderstand their bills’ applicability to corrections officers. Cody Copeland, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 16 Apr. 2025 The driver misunderstood the instruction and entered the fast lane before the re-start time was officially confirmed in breach of the Race Director's event notes. Lydia Mee, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for misunderstand

Word History

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of misunderstand was in the 13th century

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Cite this Entry

“Misunderstand.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/misunderstand. Accessed 10 Jun. 2025.

Kids Definition

misunderstand

verb
mis·​un·​der·​stand (ˌ)mis-ˌən-dər-ˈstand How to pronounce misunderstand (audio)
misunderstood -ˈstu̇d How to pronounce misunderstand (audio) ; misunderstanding
1
: to fail to understand
2
: to interpret incorrectly

More from Merriam-Webster on misunderstand

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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