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 IPOs misprice for reasons other than misunderstandings about the businesses. — Jim Osman, Forbes.com, 9 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 Getting ahead of those conversations helps prevent misunderstandings once households merge and rent is due. — Ashley Lynch, Charlotte Observer, 29 July 2026 According to The Gottman Institute, talking through these expectations in advance helps couples build a stronger foundation and sidestep the misunderstandings that tend to surface a few weeks after moving in. — Ashley Lynch, Sacbee.com, 29 July 2026 As Nora’s speech and Catherine’s kind moments suggest, characters’ actions don’t consistently reflect their overall moral stance, which is often based on misunderstandings and falsehoods, its validity unknowable even to them. — Judy Berman, Time, 27 July 2026 Setting clear boundaries with loved ones about sharing personal moments online can help prevent misunderstandings. — Parents, 25 July 2026 Carlson, however, dismissed the complaints from rival programs as largely stemming from either jealousy or misunderstandings. — Daniel Libit, Sportico.com, 23 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
  • 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
  • An agent can’t reliably detect its own misinterpretations using the same model that generated them.
    — Stu Sjouwerman, Forbes.com, 25 June 2026
Definition of misinterpretations
Noun
  • At other times these techniques were employed amid disagreements between African American individuals, arising from issues such as economic competition or romantic jealousy.
    — Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 14 Aug. 2026
  • But ongoing disagreements between LAWA and LINXS continue, and extensive 30-day testing that would need to be completed before the train’s opening would move the project date back further to late 2026.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of disagreements
Noun
  • The Ravens did that, committing only three penalties for 25 yards (the Eagles had 10 for 96), limiting their mistakes and controlling the line of scrimmage.
    — Jeff Zrebiec, New York Times, 16 Aug. 2026
  • The second-round pass rusher made aggressive mistakes, falling twice for option fakes and overrunning a screen pass early.
    — Andrew Callahan, Boston Herald, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of mistakes
Noun
  • Sacramento City Unified School District is going through one of the most unprecedented fiscal disputes in California, one that has left even the state’s top education officials grappling with the scope of their authority and intervention.
    — Chaewon Chung August 16, Sacbee.com, 16 Aug. 2026
  • Deed theft often exploits grief, financial distress, inheritance disputes and the limited resources of older homeowners.
    — Landon Dais, New York Daily News, 15 Aug. 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
  • On the new series, some House of Stassi castmembers raised their quarrels with Maloney joining their cast.
    — McKinley Franklin, HollywoodReporter, 8 Aug. 2026
  • Candi is the family mediator Like any father-daughter coaching dynamic, Corey and Coco have had their fair share of quarrels on the tennis court.
    — Emily Weaver, PEOPLE, 9 July 2026
Definition of quarrels
Noun
  • Simple assault are altercations and incidents that don’t involve weapons or serious injuries, including domestic incidents.
    — Carolyn Stein, Chicago Tribune, 6 Aug. 2026
  • In court filings, ex-wife Emily Moreno alleged that Miller has repeatedly had physical and verbal altercations with her attorney, Andrew Zashin, after recent court hearings in an ongoing custody battle.
    — Jacob Rosen, CBS News, 31 July 2026
Definition of altercations
Noun
  • The Fever have won seven of their last nine despite being the focal point of so many controversies.
    — CNN Money, CNN Money, 12 Aug. 2026
  • But their success on the floor has often been subsumed by controversies.
    — Brian Hamilton, New York Times, 12 Aug. 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 18 Aug. 2026.

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