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 What’s something people misunderstand about female friendships in wrestling? — Perrie Samotin, Glamour, 31 July 2026 Often in the past intelligence has been equated to technology, but to solely rely on technology as a measure of intelligence misunderstands what intelligence is. — Keith Cooper, Space.com, 27 July 2026 This seemed to misunderstand the limitations of space and time in a museum that has no shortage of Founding Fathers material. — Kelsey Ables, The Atlantic, 23 July 2026 Don’t misunderstand me—Marx, too, recognized the fact that capitalism had, in its fashion, enriched our lives as well. — Literary Hub, 23 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
  • The fact a majority of them belong to people who traveled from another country and the conditions of the desert itself both complicate efforts to identify remains, therefore hindering missing persons cases, experts say.
    — Emma Tucker, CNN Money, 24 Aug. 2026
  • L’Agence’s offering always delivers head-turning pieces, grounded by crisp shirting that never misses.
    — Minty Mellon, Vogue, 24 Aug. 2026
Definition of miss
Verb
  • In September 2011, Daniels, then a 17-year-old dropout and a member of the Bloods, was walking to the laundromat with his sister when rival gang members approached her — mistaking her for Daniels’ other sister, who was also caught up in the streets.
    — Rocco Parascandola, New York Daily News, 23 Aug. 2026
  • And both times, there was no mistaking who the gallery wanted to win.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 23 Aug. 2026
Definition of mistake
Verb
  • Aronson’s lawyers argue that Paramount’s lawyers are misreading an IRS provision that affects the timing of severance payouts.
    — Gene Maddaus, Variety, 21 Aug. 2026
  • Instead, with the Cubs facing a one-run deficit, Taylor misread Pete Crow-Armstrong’s liner to Montgomery.
    — Meghan Montemurro, Chicago Tribune, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of misread
Verb
  • Outsiders may misconstrue these behaviors as evidence that a trauma did not actually happen or that a survivor lacks credibility.
    — Michele Patterson Ford, The Conversation, 19 Aug. 2026
  • His attorneys feared Paul was trying to coax Fauci to say something under oath that could be misconstrued and used to prosecute him.
    — Michael Collins, USA Today, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of misconstrue
Verb
  • Legal and other professionals unaware of the range of natural responses to trauma can easily misinterpret these behaviors as signs of lying or malingering.
    — Michele Patterson Ford, The Conversation, 19 Aug. 2026
  • The danger is that governments and markets grow accustomed to a Strait of Hormuz that functions only intermittently and misinterpret the stopgap as a resolution.
    — Amena Bakr, semafor.com, 18 Aug. 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 26 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation
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 devolve

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Commonly Misspelled Words
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Even More Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Why do we say 'break a leg'?

16 Glee-ridden Words from Schitt's Creek
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

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
alt-684346df967d5
Add A Letter Quiz Pick the letter that goes in the same spot in fou...
See All