misunderstanding
noun
mis·un·der·stand·ing
(ˌ)mi-ˌsən-dər-ˈstan-diŋ 
1
: a failure to understand : misinterpretation
The instructions were carefully written to prevent misunderstanding.
2
: quarrel, disagreement
an unfortunate misunderstanding between two old friends
Examples of misunderstanding in a Sentence
The instructions are carefully written in order to avoid misunderstanding.
Her comments reflect a misunderstanding of the basic problem.
using clear language to avoid misunderstandings
an unfortunate misunderstanding between old friends
We had our little misunderstandings in the past but we managed to clear them up long ago.
Recent Examples on the Web
The Fed, the economics profession and the rest of the financial and commercial world are victims of a profound misunderstanding about inflation.
—
Steve Forbes, Forbes.com, 12 June 2026
At that point, the misunderstandings of me being weird or nerdy or stuck up or whatever kind of just went away.
—Angela Andaloro, PEOPLE, 11 June 2026
The misunderstandings are about people’s tones, and not necessarily about the things that people are pointing toward.
—Senior Television, Los Angeles Times, 11 June 2026
The liquidity crunch in retail vehicles, Lyon argued, reflected investor misunderstanding rather than a flaw in the asset class itself.
—Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 10 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for misunderstanding
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Steve Forbes, Forbes.com, 12 June 2026
At that point, the misunderstandings of me being weird or nerdy or stuck up or whatever kind of just went away.
—Angela Andaloro, PEOPLE, 11 June 2026
The misunderstandings are about people’s tones, and not necessarily about the things that people are pointing toward.
—Senior Television, Los Angeles Times, 11 June 2026
The liquidity crunch in retail vehicles, Lyon argued, reflected investor misunderstanding rather than a flaw in the asset class itself.
—Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 10 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for misunderstanding
Cite this Entry
“Misunderstanding.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/misunderstanding. Accessed 16 Jun. 2026.
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