misunderstand
verb
mis·un·der·stand
(ˌ)mi-ˌsən-dər-ˈstand 
misunderstood
(ˌ)mi-ˌsən-dər-ˈstu̇d
; misunderstanding
; misunderstanding
1
: to fail to understand
I misunderstood the message.
2
: to interpret incorrectly
I think you misunderstood my intentions.
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
Lambert said that misunderstanding the limits of local authority likely fueled the online reaction.
—
Nora O'Neill, Charlotte Observer, 15 Oct. 2025
But to argue that any of this research adds up to a substantial account of intelligence misunderstands the nature of such human traits and what can be expected from scientific explanations of them.
—Eric Turkheimer, The Atlantic, 13 Oct. 2025
Nigeria deserves solidarity in its fight against terror — not careless rhetoric that fuels misunderstanding.
—Jordan King, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Oct. 2025
In an amicus brief filed to the Supreme Court, the American Psychological Association, the American Psychiatric Association and 12 other professional bodies argued that characterizing talk therapy as mere speech fundamentally misunderstands its therapeutic use and purpose.
—Allison Parshall, Scientific American, 7 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for misunderstand
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Nora O'Neill, Charlotte Observer, 15 Oct. 2025
But to argue that any of this research adds up to a substantial account of intelligence misunderstands the nature of such human traits and what can be expected from scientific explanations of them.
—Eric Turkheimer, The Atlantic, 13 Oct. 2025
Nigeria deserves solidarity in its fight against terror — not careless rhetoric that fuels misunderstanding.
—Jordan King, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Oct. 2025
In an amicus brief filed to the Supreme Court, the American Psychological Association, the American Psychiatric Association and 12 other professional bodies argued that characterizing talk therapy as mere speech fundamentally misunderstands its therapeutic use and purpose.
—Allison Parshall, Scientific American, 7 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for misunderstand
Cite this Entry
“Misunderstand.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/misunderstand. Accessed 6 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
misunderstand
verb
mis·un·der·stand
(ˌ)mis-ˌən-dər-ˈstand
misunderstood
-ˈstu̇d
; misunderstanding
; misunderstanding
1
: to fail to understand
2
: to interpret incorrectly
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