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 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 There can be one-time misunderstandings or difficult decisions taken out of context. — Jon Michail, Forbes.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 From there, the tension stems not from an unending well of sustained suspense but from the shrapnel-like feeling of worry that comes from enduring too many uncomfortable misunderstandings at once. — Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 21 July 2026 Americans are in a perpetual debate, which is no surprise, as retrogrades are notorious for misunderstandings and communication errors. — Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 4 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
  • Health insurers and hospitals tend to keep their contracts confidential, but, judging from each party’s previous comments, disagreements over reimbursement rates were a key issue throughout the negotiations.
    — Michelle Marchante, Miami Herald, 31 July 2026
  • Galanis' testimony offered jurors a glimpse into the family's disagreements over Melina's travel arrangements and her growing concerns about Frattolin's travel plans with their daughter months before Melina's death.
    — Brittany Miller, FOXNews.com, 29 July 2026
Definition of disagreements
Noun
  • Efficiency expands access while increasing the number of settings in which consequential mistakes, surveillance and labor displacement can occur.
    — Gerui Wang, Forbes.com, 1 Aug. 2026
  • Sellers can edit any mistakes before an auction begins, and those corrections are used to further improve future AI models.
    — Joshua Hong, Fortune, 1 Aug. 2026
Definition of mistakes
Noun
  • The union is tied up in labor disputes over recent attempts to unionize facilities in two of those places — Rady Children’s Hospital in San Diego and Innercare, a community clinic in El Centro.
    — Taryn Luna, Los Angeles Times, 26 July 2026
  • The actions mark a sharp break with a US practice of handling bilateral disputes largely behind closed doors, and not openly interfering in Mexican politics.
    — Mary Beth Sheridan, CNN Money, 25 July 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
  • 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
  • Rounding out the top five names were seven write-in votes for the Sacramento Capitals or Capitols — which could be nicknamed the Caps to avoid quarrels over the spelling — and six votes for the Sacramento Stingers or Sting, referencing the collegiate Sacramento State Hornets.
    — Camila Pedrosa, Sacbee.com, 4 June 2026
Definition of quarrels
Noun
  • Often, altercations involving a resident with dementia erupt after danger signals are missed or ineffectively addressed, according to a KFF Health News examination of court records, police reports, and state and federal inspection reports.
    — Jordan Rau, NPR, 19 July 2026
  • Retired Miami Heat forward and captain Udonis Haslem found himself in more than a few altercations during his NBA playing career.
    — Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 14 July 2026
Definition of altercations
Noun
  • Ferguson said that the years of lawsuits and controversies involving the department have contributed to a lack of public trust.
    — Ben Wheeler, Kansas City Star, 30 July 2026
  • Collins’ former chief of staff Brandon Phillips was fired in May after several controversies.
    — AJ Willingham, AJC.com, 28 July 2026
Definition of controversies

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misunderstandings
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Cite this Entry

“Misunderstandings.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/misunderstandings. Accessed 3 Aug. 2026.

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