as in misses
to fail to understand the true or actual meaning of
you misunderstood that poem because you took everything so literally
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Recent Examples of misunderstands
But this approach fundamentally misunderstands human social nature.
—
Clay Routledge, Fortune, 23 May 2026
According to Massenburg, what the world often misunderstands is that neo-soul was never created as a gimmick for commerce.
—Datwon Thomas, VIBE.com, 22 May 2026
In a way, the old joke about the doughnut and coffee cup misunderstands the power of topological thinking.
—Konstantin Kakaes, Quanta Magazine, 20 May 2026
This latter position fundamentally misunderstands the PRC’s determination to absorb Taiwan; expressing weakness is more likely to invite a Chinese invasion.
—Michelle Kuo, The Dial, 14 Apr. 2026
This vision misunderstands the trajectory of technological change and the distinctive contributions that humans make to collaborative endeavors.
—Akhilesh Tripathi, Forbes.com, 12 Mar. 2026
Offshore planning that relies primarily on obscurity misunderstands how transparent global finance has become.
—Ascend Agency, Chicago Tribune, 12 Mar. 2026
Requiring them to operate as ordinary MPIA applicants misunderstands their role and undermines their purpose.
—Vaughn Stewart, Baltimore Sun, 7 Mar. 2026
Treating Pahlavi as a shortcut to stability misunderstands both Iran’s society and the nature of this uprising.
—Jalil Pakray, Sun Sentinel, 3 Mar. 2026
Clay Routledge, Fortune, 23 May 2026
According to Massenburg, what the world often misunderstands is that neo-soul was never created as a gimmick for commerce.
—Datwon Thomas, VIBE.com, 22 May 2026
In a way, the old joke about the doughnut and coffee cup misunderstands the power of topological thinking.
—Konstantin Kakaes, Quanta Magazine, 20 May 2026
This latter position fundamentally misunderstands the PRC’s determination to absorb Taiwan; expressing weakness is more likely to invite a Chinese invasion.
—Michelle Kuo, The Dial, 14 Apr. 2026
This vision misunderstands the trajectory of technological change and the distinctive contributions that humans make to collaborative endeavors.
—Akhilesh Tripathi, Forbes.com, 12 Mar. 2026
Offshore planning that relies primarily on obscurity misunderstands how transparent global finance has become.
—Ascend Agency, Chicago Tribune, 12 Mar. 2026
Requiring them to operate as ordinary MPIA applicants misunderstands their role and undermines their purpose.
—Vaughn Stewart, Baltimore Sun, 7 Mar. 2026
Treating Pahlavi as a shortcut to stability misunderstands both Iran’s society and the nature of this uprising.
—Jalil Pakray, Sun Sentinel, 3 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for misunderstands
Verb
-
Jill Biden misses that, which is understandable.—
David Weigel,
semafor.com,
3 June 2026
-
But the test, developed by Guardant Health, misses more precancerous polyps and early-stage cancers than other methods.—
The Washington Post,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
2 June 2026
Verb
-
Finally, the policy misconstrues preventative care.—
Bloomberg Opinion,
Twin Cities,
14 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Von Wilpert’s allies say that the Progressive Caucus’ endorsement misreads what the district wants.—
David Weigel,
semafor.com,
19 May 2026
-
There can be serious economic consequences if the Fed misreads the economy — even communicating the wrong direction for interest rates can be risky, the Fed officials said.—
Bryan Mena,
CNN Money,
1 May 2026
Verb
-
Huxley’s critique is clear; America mistakes body for spirit, promiscuously confusing the physical with the metaphysical.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
21 May 2026
-
When Ava interrupts to bring Deborah her cell phone, Kelly mistakes Ava for Deborah’s girlfriend and has a new understanding of her foe.—
Erin Jensen,
USA Today,
8 May 2026
Verb
-
When a customer-facing agent misinterprets policy, trust erodes instantly.—
Nitin Rakesh,
Forbes.com,
26 May 2026
-
Despite that promise, reports indicate the tool often misinterprets requests.—
Thomas Westerholm,
MSNBC Newsweek,
31 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Misunderstands.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/misunderstands. Accessed 6 Jun. 2026.
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