misunderstand
verb
mis·un·der·stand
(ˌ)mi-ˌsən-dər-ˈstand 
misunderstood
(ˌ)mi-ˌsən-dər-ˈstu̇d
; misunderstanding
; misunderstanding
1
: to fail to understand
I misunderstood the message.
2
: to interpret incorrectly
I think you misunderstood my intentions.
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
This misunderstands the nature of modern protectorates, such as Palau or the Marshall Islands.
—
Barry Scott Zellen, Hartford Courant, 12 June 2026
Tackle Complex Online Documents Government, legal, medical, tax, insurance, HR, grant, and compliance forms are easy to misunderstand.
—Bruce Weinstein, Forbes.com, 11 June 2026
There has already been some backlash to the project, with fans apparently misunderstanding the scope of the technology.
—Emily Zemler, Rolling Stone, 9 June 2026
In an article that explores the betrayal of Black military officers, Clint Smith calls out the forces of reaction for misunderstanding the nature of patriotism.
—Jeffrey Goldberg, The Atlantic, 8 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for misunderstand
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Barry Scott Zellen, Hartford Courant, 12 June 2026
Tackle Complex Online Documents Government, legal, medical, tax, insurance, HR, grant, and compliance forms are easy to misunderstand.
—Bruce Weinstein, Forbes.com, 11 June 2026
There has already been some backlash to the project, with fans apparently misunderstanding the scope of the technology.
—Emily Zemler, Rolling Stone, 9 June 2026
In an article that explores the betrayal of Black military officers, Clint Smith calls out the forces of reaction for misunderstanding the nature of patriotism.
—Jeffrey Goldberg, The Atlantic, 8 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for misunderstand
Cite this Entry
“Misunderstand.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/misunderstand. Accessed 16 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
misunderstand
verb
mis·un·der·stand
(ˌ)mis-ˌən-dər-ˈstand
misunderstood
-ˈstu̇d
; misunderstanding
; misunderstanding
1
: to fail to understand
2
: to interpret incorrectly
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