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

2

: to interpret incorrectly

Synonyms

• 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 same kind of misunderstanding speckles the discourse around Live Laugh Love, his stellar new album. —Andre Gee, Rolling Stone, 29 Aug. 2025

Borrowers who face wage garnishment are entitled to a 30-day notice before garnishment begins, but many people miss or misunderstand those communications. —Sydney Lake, Fortune, 29 Aug. 2025

The two men each say the other misunderstands the impacts of Senate Bill 1. —Shelley Jones, Chicago Tribune, 27 Aug. 2025

This comes from an internal drive shaped by years of navigating a world that often misunderstands them. —Alison Escalante, Forbes.com, 26 Aug. 2025

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