misunderstand

verb

(ˌ)mi-ˌsən-dər-ˈstand How to pronounce misunderstand (audio)
Definition of misunderstandnext
as in to miss
to fail to understand the true or actual meaning of you misunderstood that poem because you took everything so literally

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of misunderstand The good news is that the IRS rarely charges severe penalties for honest mistakes or misunderstanding a complex tax code. — Faith Wakefield, USA Today, 20 July 2026 Write down the agreement, close the loop, and make the system harder to misunderstand. — Tarot.com, The Orlando Sentinel, 19 July 2026 But the people who believe AI eliminates the need for creative agencies may still be misunderstanding what great agencies actually do. — Adam Taylor, Forbes.com, 17 July 2026 Health policy experts and healthcare associations say that misunderstands the nature of insurance. — Lisa Jarvis, Mercury News, 15 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for misunderstand
Recent Examples of Synonyms for misunderstand
  1. miss
  2. mistake
  3. misread
  4. misconstrue
  5. misinterpret
  6. misapprehend
Verb
  • Cam Gill missed the first practice of Carolina Panthers’ training camp.
    — Mike Kaye July 27, Charlotte Observer, 27 July 2026
  • The warrior who masters these qualities can recognize openings others miss and act without hesitation.
    — Julian Hayes II, Forbes.com, 27 July 2026
Definition of miss
Verb
  • Denza Bao 5 design There is little chance of mistaking the Bao 5 for a conventional family SUV.
    — Matthew MacConnell, Forbes.com, 21 July 2026
  • They might have been mistaken for the same blaze if the only information available had been from 911 calls.
    — K. R. Callaway, Scientific American, 20 July 2026
Definition of mistake
Verb
  • Nanfelt said some have misread any concern of unexpected decisions this year as pointing to a fraying relationship between city leadership and the business community.
    — DJ Simmons July 27, Charlotte Observer, 27 July 2026
  • In marketing science, one flawed release can misread performance signals or optimize toward the wrong outcome.
    — Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 22 July 2026
Definition of misread
Verb
  • Sherman misconstrued my letter.
    — Voice of the People, New York Daily News, 29 June 2026
  • In granting the President this unbridled authority, the Court upends its precedent, misconstrues our history, and sheds any pretense of judicial modesty.
    — Devin Dwyer, ABC News, 29 June 2026
Definition of misconstrue
Verb
  • The vessel was out of Stockton, and bystanders misinterpreted steam coming from it as smoke, officials said.
    — Sam Gillette, PEOPLE, 15 July 2026
  • When ovulation occurs later, testing can occur too early, leading to results that may be misinterpreted in clinical practice.
    — Matt Emma, USA Today, 14 July 2026
Definition of misinterpret
Verb
  • That is true of leaders anywhere, but Israel’s history has predisposed some of its policymakers to focus excessively on day-to-day survival and to misapprehend or ignore strategic dynamics as a result.
    — Andrew P. Miller, Foreign Affairs, 5 Dec. 2025
  • But would her students, turned on everywhere by the dogma of political correctness, misapprehend Haynes’s aim?
    — Doreen St. Félix, The New Yorker, 22 June 2023
Definition of misapprehend

Browse Nearby Words

mistyping
misunderstand
misunderstanding
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Misunderstand.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/misunderstand. Accessed 30 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on misunderstand

Nglish: Translation of misunderstand for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of sultry

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

Why does English have so many silent letters?

Your vs. You're: How to Use Them Correctly
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Dutch Treat and French Leave: Eight Place-Based Compounds

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Dutch Treat and French Leave: Eight Place-Based Compounds

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
chain-question-mark
Missing Link Quiz July 2026 Five seconds to figure out the word that fits bot...
See All