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 But that assumption badly misunderstands the power-hungry nature of the Chinese Communist Party and the lessons of history. Michael Gallagher, WSJ, 28 Nov. 2023 Yet to assume a cease-fire would hold, or that Russia would ever stop trying to undermine Ukraine’s sovereignty, misunderstands Moscow’s objectives and, with it, Russia’s way of war. Bob Seely, Foreign Affairs, 24 Nov. 2023 Answer: Many people misunderstand how survivor benefits work. Liz Weston, San Diego Union-Tribune, 24 Sep. 2023 This loophole could be a release valve for my frustration over our short-sighted medical system that misunderstands obesity as a disease. Jody Dushay, STAT, 15 Sep. 2023 The Israeli intelligence apparatus may have misunderstood Hamas’s intentions, misread the context of crucial leads, been distracted by Israel’s political efforts with Saudi Arabia, or been grappling with domestic challenges. Matt Burgess, WIRED, 8 Oct. 2023 What do people often misunderstand about voice-over work? Kailyn Brown, Los Angeles Times, 29 Sep. 2023 Think of it as a flavor enhancer, much like equally beloved, often misunderstood MSG. Julie Harans, Bon Appétit, 14 Sep. 2023 To ignore it, or to understand it through Cold war clichés, would be to misunderstand German history as a whole. Samuel Clowes Huneke, The New Republic, 22 Sep. 2023 See More

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 7 Dec. 2023.

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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