misunderstanding
noun
mis·un·der·stand·ing
(ˌ)mi-ˌsən-dər-ˈstan-diŋ 
1
: a failure to understand : misinterpretation
The instructions were carefully written to prevent misunderstanding.
2
: quarrel, disagreement
an unfortunate misunderstanding between two old friends
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 on the Web
The Sidney-Levi side of the proceedings is less interesting but more dominant, demonstrating a strange misunderstanding of the show’s appeal.
—
Alison Herman, Variety, 10 Oct. 2025
Like the two previous installments, on Jeffrey Dahmer and the Menendez brothers, Ed Gein retells in lurid—and largely fantastical—detail the legend of a notorious murderer, with the aim of discerning what our collective obsession with and inevitable misunderstanding of each case says about society.
—Judy Berman, Time, 6 Oct. 2025
Cats, meanwhile, rely heavily on subtle body language—so misunderstandings are common.
—Lucy Notarantonio, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 Oct. 2025
Shane Hubbard, a UW-Madison research scientist specializing in damage and loss estimation from disasters, said that misunderstandings of what type of insurance offers the most protection result in homeowners being left with hefty bills and little government assistance.
—Tamia Fowlkes, jsonline.com, 6 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for misunderstanding
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Alison Herman, Variety, 10 Oct. 2025
Like the two previous installments, on Jeffrey Dahmer and the Menendez brothers, Ed Gein retells in lurid—and largely fantastical—detail the legend of a notorious murderer, with the aim of discerning what our collective obsession with and inevitable misunderstanding of each case says about society.
—Judy Berman, Time, 6 Oct. 2025
Cats, meanwhile, rely heavily on subtle body language—so misunderstandings are common.
—Lucy Notarantonio, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 Oct. 2025
Shane Hubbard, a UW-Madison research scientist specializing in damage and loss estimation from disasters, said that misunderstandings of what type of insurance offers the most protection result in homeowners being left with hefty bills and little government assistance.
—Tamia Fowlkes, jsonline.com, 6 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for misunderstanding
Cite this Entry
“Misunderstanding.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/misunderstanding. Accessed 19 Oct. 2025.
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