misunderstand

verb

mis·​un·​der·​stand (ˌ)mi-ˌsən-dər-ˈstand 

misunderstood (ˌ)mi-ˌsən-dər-ˈstu̇d  ; misunderstanding

transitive verb

1

: to fail to understand

I misunderstood the message.

2

: to interpret incorrectly

I think you misunderstood my intentions.

Synonyms of misunderstand

• miss
• mistake
• misread
• misconstrue
• misinterpret
• misapprehend

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

The Libra Sun opposes Neptune across your personal and shared resource zones, making promises, expenses, or contributions easy to misunderstand. — Tarot.com, Baltimore Sun, 25 Sep. 2026

Friedlich hangs a lot of The Holes’s emotional bent on the dynamic between Joey and Carson, as two lonely townies who have spent a lot of their lives misunderstanding each other. — Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 23 Sep. 2026

And yet, many companies today still fundamentally misunderstand how to apply lean to their own operations. — Joe Perkins, Forbes.com, 18 Sep. 2026

Mercury opposes elusive Neptune, making deadlines, availability, or expectations easier to misunderstand. — Tarot.com, Sun Sentinel, 12 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for misunderstand

• analysand
• ampersand
• beforehand
• behindhand
• bottomland
• contraband
• countermand
• dixieland
• fairyland
• fatherland
• firebrand
• hinterland

Kids Definition

misunderstand

verb

mis·​un·​der·​stand (ˌ)mis-ˌən-dər-ˈstand 

misunderstood -ˈstu̇d  ; misunderstanding

1

: to fail to understand

2

: to interpret incorrectly