misunderstood

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

Examples of misunderstood in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

There may not be a memorandum of understanding that is so misunderstood and forgotten so quickly as the one the United States signed with Iran on June 17. — Ron Kampeas, The Washington Examiner, 25 July 2026

But Spann and other teens say that the events are largely misunderstood. — Safiyah Riddle, Fortune, 25 July 2026

Autism, often misunderstood, impacts social reasoning and decision-making, leading to vulnerability and misinterpretation within the legal process. — Walter Pavlo, Forbes.com, 25 July 2026

The findings suggest perimenopause is not just misunderstood but also arriving earlier and going untreated for years. — Hanna Wickes, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 25 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1583, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for misunderstood

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