misunderstandings

noun

plural of misunderstanding
1
as in misinterpretations
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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in disagreements
an often noisy or angry expression of differing opinions tried to resolve their misunderstandings peacefully

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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 misunderstandings But they could also be described as misconceptions, misunderstandings, or straight up bad information. — Alex Robinson, Outdoor Life, 1 Nov. 2026 As with any such topic, there are all kinds of myths and misunderstandings out there. — Justin Pot, Popular Science, 31 Oct. 2026 Clear expectations build trust and prevent small misunderstandings from becoming larger conflicts. — Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 30 Oct. 2026 Now, as the wait continues for the judge's final ruling, some experts on student voting see the case as a reminder of common misunderstandings about the rights of some of the country's youngest voters. — Hansi Lo Wang, NPR, 28 Oct. 2026 The characters then find themselves at a desert window display and take the audience along for an adventure filled with witty exchanges, misunderstandings, wordplay and songs. — Denni Hu, Footwear News, 28 Oct. 2026 As romance gives way to heartbreak, misunderstandings and difficult choices, the sisters may not always see eye to eye. — Charley Ward, Condé Nast Traveler, 15 Oct. 2026 Four Hands, Two Sonatas ends with Jeong-yo and Pi-o together again, seemingly free of the pressures and misunderstandings that plagued them for so long. — Kayti Burt, Time, 6 Oct. 2026 Arendt herself complicated matters by calling it journalism instead of philosophy, which added to the misunderstandings. — Literary Hub, 18 Sep. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for misunderstandings
  1. misinterpretations
  2. disagreements
  3. mistakes
  4. disputes
  5. misapprehensions
  6. quarrels
  7. altercations
  8. controversies
Noun
  • There are several misinterpretations of what a chance of precipitation means.
    — Lance Schulteis, jsonline.com, 24 Aug. 2026
  • The researchers say the inability of LLMs to provide the correct location is an inherent flaw that arises from training biases or from misinterpretations of instructions within the current context.
    — Dan Goodin, ArsTechnica, 8 July 2026
Definition of misinterpretations
Noun
  • But deep disagreements over territory and security guarantees that re-emerged this week underscore obstacles to ending the war.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 24 Oct. 2026
  • Both blame each other for the fiery fights, with Lago saying that disagreements between commissioners used to be more civil before Castro and Commissioner Ariel Fernandez were elected in 2023.
    — Michelle Marchante, Miami Herald, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of disagreements
Noun
  • The system is designed to let robots identify mistakes during operation, adjust their behavior and retain useful experience for subsequent attempts.
    — Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 30 Oct. 2026
  • Florida judges, lawmakers and governors perpetuate the patently unreliable assumption that jurors never make mistakes.
    — Orlando Sentinel, The Orlando Sentinel, 29 Oct. 2026
Definition of mistakes
Noun
  • China’s expanding naval capabilities could alter regional military calculations, particularly in areas where maritime disputes and competing territorial claims already exist.
    — Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 30 Oct. 2026
  • With first-party fraud and friendly disputes eroding already thin retail margins, managing chargebacks requires far more than basic operational recovery.
    — Arthur Zaczkiewicz, Footwear News, 30 Oct. 2026
Definition of disputes
Noun
  • Meanwhile, the New Atheists were making hay of the fact that such faithful misapprehensions about nature were easily disproved by scientific discovery.
    — Elizabeth Bruenig, The Atlantic, 26 Mar. 2026
  • Ronald Reagan did not suffer from such misapprehensions.
    — Gordon G. Chang, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Dec. 2025
Definition of misapprehensions
Noun
  • The overtones of social significance are adroitly handled and make real sense in an era of tragic international quarrels.
    — THR Staff, HollywoodReporter, 28 Sep. 2026
  • Unlike Christian priests and medicine men, who generally command respect, rainmakers are sometimes seen as malicious people who retaliate against whole communities for quarrels with their neighbors.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 20 Sep. 2026
Definition of quarrels
Noun
  • Parks workers who don't comply with the new policy could face discipline, officials said, adding, the policy also instructs them to not engage in any verbal or physical altercations with ICE agents.
    — Jesse Zanger, CBS News, 2 Nov. 2026
  • Other witnesses, including friends of Smith and Parker, recalled past altercations between the couple.
    — Annie Martin, The Orlando Sentinel, 27 Oct. 2026
Definition of altercations
Noun
  • Marshall’s campaign, in turn, faced an onslaught of controversies that his critics amplified in the race’s final weeks, including his medical debt collection practices and the blurred lines between his office and campaign staff.
    — Kacen Bayless, Kansas City Star, 4 Nov. 2026
  • Both candidates faced controversies throughout the campaign, including a dispute over a May traffic stop in which Lombardo was pulled over for allegedly running a red light in Las Vegas.
    — Claire Carter, The Washington Examiner, 4 Nov. 2026
Definition of controversies

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Cite this Entry

“Misunderstandings.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/misunderstandings. Accessed 5 Nov. 2026.

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