as in to miss
to fail to understand the true or actual meaning of
you misunderstood that poem because you took everything so literally
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of misunderstand
This could look like a confrontation that clears the air once and for all or a decision to stop explaining yourself to people committed to misunderstanding you.
—
Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 19 Jan. 2026
That claim misunderstands both the intent and the reality.
—Nan Rich, Sun Sentinel, 13 Jan. 2026
Following a meeting on the soil testing protocol, Whelton noted that officials appeared to misunderstand the need to test for 16 additional hazardous metals.
—Nicole Comstock, CBS News, 13 Jan. 2026
People keep either misunderstanding or forgetting that there are not one but two revolutions going on here, the second being accelerated computing.
—Jim Cramer, CNBC, 4 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for misunderstand
Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 19 Jan. 2026
That claim misunderstands both the intent and the reality.
—Nan Rich, Sun Sentinel, 13 Jan. 2026
Following a meeting on the soil testing protocol, Whelton noted that officials appeared to misunderstand the need to test for 16 additional hazardous metals.
—Nicole Comstock, CBS News, 13 Jan. 2026
People keep either misunderstanding or forgetting that there are not one but two revolutions going on here, the second being accelerated computing.
—Jim Cramer, CNBC, 4 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for misunderstand
Recent Examples of Synonyms for misunderstand
Verb
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Search and rescue mission coordinators, on-scene commanders and the Coast Guard determined on Saturday all reasonable search efforts for the missing crew members had been exhausted.—
Alexandra Koch,
FOXNews.com,
4 Feb. 2026
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But health policy experts have warned the new strategy carries risks for corruption and missing the most vulnerable people.—
Lauren Kent,
CNN Money,
4 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Food noise can be described as frequent thoughts about food that can sometimes be mistaken as hunger, experts say.—
Shiv Sudhakar,
FOXNews.com,
2 Feb. 2026
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That’s chilling, considering that roughly 20% of pregnancies result in miscarriages, and some experts say the actual rate is probably higher, since many women mistake losses in the early stages of pregnancy for late menstrual periods.—
Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board,
The Orlando Sentinel,
1 Feb. 2026
Verb
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This distinction matters, and explains why the opening-weekend numbers are being misread.—
Debbie Millman,
Time,
4 Feb. 2026
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The Power Of Being Underestimated Amina learned early how to move through rooms where people misread you.—
Penny Abeywardena,
Forbes.com,
29 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Attorney John Dillon, who represents Knife Rights and the other plaintiffs, argued that Friday’s ruling misconstrued the law.—
Alex Riggins,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
31 Jan. 2026
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And there are those who misconstrue a factual anecdote for boastfulness.—
Oc Register,
Oc Register,
18 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The school divisions sued, arguing the federal government is misinterpreting Title IX and unlawfully using federal funding to coerce local policy changes.—
Kaelan Deese,
The Washington Examiner,
29 Jan. 2026
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That memorandum misinterprets the law to allow for more exceptions than intended, according to the letter.—
Peter D'Abrosca,
FOXNews.com,
26 Jan. 2026
Verb
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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
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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 6 Feb. 2026.
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