1
as in mistake
a failure to understand correctly
people once thought that there were canals on Mars because of a common misunderstanding of a report by an Italian astronomer
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in dispute
an often noisy or angry expression of differing opinions
tried to resolve their misunderstandings peacefully
Synonyms & Similar Words
as in missing
to fail to understand the true or actual meaning of
you misunderstood that poem because you took everything so literally
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of misunderstanding
Sylvia Gordon, Forbes.com, 18 June 2026
There’s no misunderstanding at either of the leagues, however.
—Nicole Fell, HollywoodReporter, 17 June 2026
Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 1 Apr. 2026
Sharing the same city also helps with simple things like meeting at the office, reviewing accident scenes, or misunderstanding traffic patterns and neighborhoods.
—Matt Emma, USA Today, 17 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for misunderstanding
Noun
In states where the Birthday Rule is already law, having a specialist explain exactly what the rule does and does not do can prevent costly misunderstandings.
—Sylvia Gordon, Forbes.com, 18 June 2026
There’s no misunderstanding at either of the leagues, however.
—Nicole Fell, HollywoodReporter, 17 June 2026
Verb
This could be along the lines of a passive-aggressive email or a coworker misunderstanding your tone.
—Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 1 Apr. 2026
Sharing the same city also helps with simple things like meeting at the office, reviewing accident scenes, or misunderstanding traffic patterns and neighborhoods.
—Matt Emma, USA Today, 17 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for misunderstanding
Recent Examples of Synonyms for misunderstanding
Noun
-
If circumstances had gone Spain’s way with more clinical finishing or a Cape Verde defender making a mistake, then the result would have been different and a lot of the chatter currently happening (including here) would likely not be happening.—
Patrick Sung Cuadrado,
CNN Money,
21 June 2026
-
In fact, according to Rakestraw, one of the biggest mistakes homeowners make is assuming the babies have been abandoned and removing them immediately.—
Michelle Mastro,
Martha Stewart,
20 June 2026
Noun
-
The dispute has opened a new front in a years-long fight over transparency at the shelter, which has faced multiple investigations into overcrowding, animal deaths and a sharp decline in transfers to rescue groups.—
Ryan Macasero,
Mercury News,
19 June 2026
-
As bitcoin becomes more involved in private contracts, treasury strategies, cross border settlement and business arrangements, disputes will not always arrive in court as dramatic stories about hacks or scams.—
Susie Violet Ward,
Forbes.com,
19 June 2026
Verb
-
His one big lament was missing a 4-foot birdie putt on the final hole.—
Doug Ferguson,
Los Angeles Times,
21 June 2026
-
Mexican authorities released missing person flyers for the couple, who lived in Chicago and Oak Park for decades, and moved to Mexico last fall.—
Charlie De Mar,
CBS News,
20 June 2026
Noun
-
Previous measurements implied that the motion of stars in the SMC were indicative of the rotation of the dwarf galaxy, but according to these new results, that was a misinterpretation.—
Keith Cooper,
Space.com,
7 June 2026
-
That burden exists for good reason — accusations are sometimes based on misunderstanding, misinterpretation or worse, bad faith.—
Kaitlyn Schallhorn,
Daily News,
3 June 2026
Noun
-
At the heart of this debate is a fundamental disagreement about sexuality, morality and identity.—
Jon Root OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
19 June 2026
-
This is a strategic disagreement.—
Dana Taylor,
USA Today,
18 June 2026
Verb
-
His wizened next-door neighbors (Mary Woodvine and Adrian Rawlins) are younger, mistaking him for their son Luke, a former crew member of the Rose of Nevada who died by suicide.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
19 June 2026
-
Thankfully, Leviticus has a good grasp on how to leverage this conceit for scares and to score points about the insidiousness of mistaking hatred for salvation.—
David Fear,
Rolling Stone,
17 June 2026
Noun
-
What a misreading of the moment that was.—
Laura Secor,
The Atlantic,
16 June 2026
-
But a person familiar with the US-Israel discussions said the gap reflects a deeper misreading on Israel’s part.—
Tal Shalev,
CNN Money,
29 May 2026
Noun
-
Witnesses told the Nantucket Current that the stabbing followed a verbal and physical altercation between the driver of a Myles Reis garbage truck and the driver of a Sayles Seafood delivery truck that had parked in the area.—
Sarah Rumpf-Whitten,
FOXNews.com,
23 June 2026
-
Cartwright said statements from those involved explained that the victim and her mother were involved in a physical altercation.—
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
22 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Misunderstanding.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/misunderstanding. Accessed 25 Jun. 2026.
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