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 mayor seems to misunderstand what Israel means to most Jewish New Yorkers.
—
David Ingber, New York Daily News, 8 June 2026
Still, Cole observes how some viewers misunderstand their intentions from time to time.
—Zoey Lyttle, PEOPLE, 5 June 2026
Eastern diamondbacks face habitat loss and can be targeted by people who misunderstand or fear them, says the FWC.
—Sarah Perkel, USA Today, 3 June 2026
But this approach fundamentally misunderstands human social nature.
—Clay Routledge, Fortune, 23 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for misunderstand
David Ingber, New York Daily News, 8 June 2026
Still, Cole observes how some viewers misunderstand their intentions from time to time.
—Zoey Lyttle, PEOPLE, 5 June 2026
Eastern diamondbacks face habitat loss and can be targeted by people who misunderstand or fear them, says the FWC.
—Sarah Perkel, USA Today, 3 June 2026
But this approach fundamentally misunderstands human social nature.
—Clay Routledge, Fortune, 23 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for misunderstand
Recent Examples of Synonyms for misunderstand
Verb
-
In May, the National Park Service said a man who went missing while hiking in Glacier National Park in Montana was killed by a bear in what authorities believe to be the first deadly bear attack at the park since 1998.—
Thao Nguyen,
USA Today,
10 June 2026
-
Fifteen of those nations have missed the last three tournaments, 12 the past four World Cups.—
Scott M. Reid,
Oc Register,
10 June 2026
Verb
-
Just don’t mistake him for the actual Elvis.—
Arati Menon,
Condé Nast Traveler,
7 June 2026
-
Complete with a red carpet and a dancing humanoid robot, the event could have been mistaken for a science fiction Hollywood premiere.—
Jared Perlo,
NBC news,
6 June 2026
Verb
-
But Orioles center fielder Blaze Alexander badly misread the ball, which wound up landing at least 60 feet behind him and allowed both runners to score.—
Mac Cerullo,
Boston Herald,
4 June 2026
-
When a city as blue as Los Angeles would rather roll the dice on a television star than send another progressive to City Hall, the message is hard to misread.—
Douglas Schoen,
Oc Register,
4 June 2026
Verb
-
Some people may have misconstrued that as clear evidence that Guardiola, and City, have accepted the title race is over.—
Daniel Taylor,
New York Times,
14 May 2026
-
The first lady’s claim that feminism made women put career over family, to the nation’s detriment, misconstrued what feminism means.—
Letters to the Editor,
Washington Post,
13 May 2026
Verb
-
Longtime Spurs fan Gomez explained on her Instagram Stories that her comment on the post had been misinterpreted.—
Latoya Gayle,
PEOPLE,
12 June 2026
-
Not to be misinterpreted (and to keep with the interview motif), Lestat also invites Daniel (Eric Bogosian) to shoot a documentary of the band’s first tour.—
Ben Travers,
IndieWire,
7 June 2026
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
Cite this Entry
“Misunderstand.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/misunderstand. Accessed 14 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
