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 For his second at-bat as Frankenstein’s creation, Boris Karloff delivers a moving embodiment of misunderstanding opposite Colin Clive, returning as the conflicted Doctor. Wilson Chapman, IndieWire, 17 Sep. 2024 Flashback: Since the advent of the personal computer, parents have misunderstood their kids' tech use — and also misinterpreted the dangers. Megan Morrone, Axios, 18 Sep. 2024 Furthermore, a lot of hunters misunderstand deer feeding habits and refer to them as grazers, similar to livestock species. Josh Honeycutt, Outdoor Life, 12 Sep. 2024 This has been misunderstood for a long time and misreported by mainstream media. Joel Khalili, WIRED, 12 Aug. 2024 See all Example Sentences for misunderstand 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'misunderstand.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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

Dictionary Entries Near misunderstand

Cite this Entry

“Misunderstand.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/misunderstand. Accessed 9 Oct. 2024.

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

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