misunderstanding

noun mis·un·der·stand·ing

|Updated on: 17 Jun 2018

Examples: misunderstanding in a Sentence

Definition of misunderstanding

1 : a failure to understand : misinterpretation

The instructions were carefully written to prevent misunderstanding.

2 : quarrel, disagreement

an unfortunate misunderstanding between two old friends

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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 of misunderstanding from the Web

One big misunderstanding is that when people start talking about inequality, their minds go straight to poverty, but poverty’s only half of the equation.

— sean illing, Vox, "Income inequality is changing how we think, live, and die," 24 May 2018
Neither is a particularly attractive piece of decor, both are pretty bad as standalone speakers, and there will be times when both assistants are just flat-out aggravating in their misunderstandings.

— jeff dunn, Ars Technica, "The Ars Technica Mother’s Day gift guide," 7 May 2018
Luckily for him, the misunderstanding was cleared up quickly.

— nihal kolur, SI.com, "Chris Paul's Brother Gets Ejected But Returns After One Play," 6 May 2018
Before you do, be sure that a misunderstanding is not at the heart of the problem.

— samantha boardman, Marie Claire, "How to Build a Better Relationship With Your Friends, Your Mom, and Your Boss," 27 Apr. 2018
This misunderstanding could have been prevented if Panera offered a clear vulnerability reporting policy.

— robert hackett, Fortune, "How Panera Bread Fumbled Its Data Leak—And What to Learn From Its Mistakes," 4 Apr. 2018
So long, Geneva’s conventions Mr Trump’s misunderstanding of economics explains why his politics are so irresponsible.

— The Economist, "Even if America wins concessions, worry," 28 Mar. 2018
One misunderstanding led to another, and Clark became increasingly upset.

— laura yan, The Cut, "I Tried to Use Personality Quizzes to Save My Relationship," 22 Mar. 2018
So start, please, by talking to your husband not just about the current misunderstanding but also about the bigger picture of dealing with his parents.

— carolyn hax, idahostatesman, "Getting the cold shoulder from mother-in-law | Idaho Statesman," 19 Mar. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'misunderstanding.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.