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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 Arendt herself complicated matters by calling it journalism instead of philosophy, which added to the misunderstandings. — Literary Hub, 18 Sep. 2026 Clear, descriptive communication with your doctor helps prevent those misunderstandings. — Jason Phillips, Ascend Agency, 24 Aug. 2026 This is also a good season to clean up any recurring misunderstandings. — Tarot.com, Baltimore Sun, 22 Aug. 2026 Questions provide that feedback immediately, allowing managers to clarify, adapt or deepen the discussion before misunderstandings become decisions. — Chiara Alzati, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2026 App makers also advise against confrontation and accept no liability for false positives or misunderstandings. — Ashley Belanger, ArsTechnica, 21 Aug. 2026 Turkey and Israel began technical talks in Azerbaijan in 2025 aimed at preventing misunderstandings or military incidents in Syria. — Efrat Lachter, FOXNews.com, 20 Aug. 2026 As in much of Europe, tourism is a sensitive subject, so knowing the unwritten rules (and even a bit of the local language, Euskera) will help avoid misunderstandings and unlock the city’s joyful, trademark love of the table. — Marti Buckley, Condé Nast Traveler, 3 Aug. 2026 But too many mixed signals can throw off an opponent’s risk calculus, giving rise to misunderstandings that can produce or worsen a crisis. — Erik Lin-Greenberg, Foreign Affairs, 31 July 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
  • The organization believes some of these conversations and disagreements among board members are drawing time and attention away from students, many of whom are Hispanic and come from Spanish-speaking backgrounds.
    — Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 25 Sep. 2026
  • Told through Paula’s perspective, the story delves into the relationship between the two athletes, exploring the challenges, disagreements, and partnership that helped shape one of the most successful eras in Brazilian sports.
    — Rafa Sales Ross, Variety, 25 Sep. 2026
Definition of disagreements
Noun
  • Signs Your Business Has Outgrown Its Systems Owners often start to recognize their systems have become outdated when processes become difficult and mistakes happen more frequently.
    — Nellie Akalp, Forbes.com, 1 Oct. 2026
  • Bank of America’s chief technology and information officer said one of the most common AI mistakes is reaching for it first.
    — Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of mistakes
Noun
  • The June agreement collapsed after disputes over the memo's vague wording, including language related to who would control the strait.
    — Ava Pukatch, NPR, 26 Sep. 2026
  • Makary's time at the agency was defined by scientific disputes, leadership changes and a string of media stories detailing low morale and internal dysfunction among staffers.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 25 Sep. 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
  • 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
  • On the new series, some House of Stassi castmembers raised their quarrels with Maloney joining their cast.
    — McKinley Franklin, HollywoodReporter, 8 Aug. 2026
Definition of quarrels
Noun
  • Domestic altercations can quickly spin out of control, making them among the most dangerous types of calls.
    — Connor Sheets, Los Angeles Times, 16 Sep. 2026
  • Tchouameni and Valverde were involved in two separate altercations, a day apart, in May, with the latter taken to hospital to undergo assessments after sustaining a head injury during the second incident.
    — Guillermo Rai, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2026
Definition of altercations
Noun
  • That project was beset by controversies and setbacks, including Essar Steel Minnesota filing for bankruptcy in 2016.
    — Kevin Breuninger, CNBC, 28 Sep. 2026
  • The Drivecast is The Drive‘s weekly podcast that takes you behind the scenes on the big stories, controversies, and characters shaping the automotive industry and the way our roads look today.
    — Kyle Cheromcha, The Drive, 24 Sep. 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 3 Oct. 2026.

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