misunderstood

1 of 2

adjective

mis·​un·​der·​stood (ˌ)mi-ˌsən-dər-ˈstu̇d 

1

: wrongly or imperfectly understood

a misunderstood question

Mondegreens are misunderstood lyrics, and when we asked our readers for their favorites, not surprisingly the most familiar ones got multiple votes.

—Dave Tianen

2

: not sympathetically appreciated

[Shorty] Rossi has become a name in the animal rescue community for his fierce advocacy for the interests of the pit bull, which he sees as a misunderstood breed.

—Publishers Weekly

He speaks proudly and protectively of his two directing efforts as if they were beloved but misunderstood children, and he's touchingly eager to explain their unappreciated virtues.

—Ron Rosenbaum

misunderstood

2 of 2

past tense and past participle of misunderstand

Examples of misunderstood in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

As controversy surrounding Flock license plate recognition cameras continues, a former Metro Detroit police captain says the technology is being misunderstood and that its crime-fighting benefits outweigh concerns about government surveillance. — Gino Vicci, CBS News, 15 Oct. 2026

The realization led her to investigate which other Kazakh mythical figures might be misunderstood. — Yulia Denisyuk, Condé Nast Traveler, 14 Oct. 2026

Andrew Garfield Then there are those who argue that the Method is misunderstood — first by actors, and subsequently by public perception. — Laura Zornosa, Los Angeles Times, 9 Oct. 2026

Much of this controversy remains misunderstood, including conflicting claims about the weapons’ origins and definition. — Robert Spitzer, The Conversation, 8 Oct. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1583, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for misunderstood

• unlikelihood
• adulthood
• babyhood
• brotherhood
• cottonwood
• fatherhood
• firewood
• fuelwood
• hardihood
• ironwood
• leatherwood
• likelihood