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
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 fundamentally misunderstands physical infrastructure.
—Siddharth Misra, Fortune, 28 Mar. 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
Flight also suggests the report fundamentally misunderstands macroeconomic fundamentals.
—Allison Morrow, CNN Money, 2 Mar. 2026
This despite the fact that Rubio, like Vance, clearly misunderstands Europe and is in denial about the threats facing the United States and the transatlantic alliance.
—Thomas Wright, The Atlantic, 15 Feb. 2026
Michelle Kuo, The Dial, 14 Apr. 2026
This fundamentally misunderstands physical infrastructure.
—Siddharth Misra, Fortune, 28 Mar. 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
Flight also suggests the report fundamentally misunderstands macroeconomic fundamentals.
—Allison Morrow, CNN Money, 2 Mar. 2026
This despite the fact that Rubio, like Vance, clearly misunderstands Europe and is in denial about the threats facing the United States and the transatlantic alliance.
—Thomas Wright, The Atlantic, 15 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for misunderstands
Verb
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If your former spouse misses payments, your credit takes the hit too.—
Gary Singer,
Sun Sentinel,
14 May 2026
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This summer’s hits and misses could have an outsize influence on Hollywood’s future spending habits.—
Rebecca Rubin,
Variety,
13 May 2026
Verb
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Finally, the policy misconstrues preventative care.—
Bloomberg Opinion,
Twin Cities,
14 Jan. 2026
Verb
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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
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Share the plan in writing so no one misreads it.—
Tarot.com,
New York Daily News,
14 Jan. 2026
Verb
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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
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The Suns didn’t help themselves with 19 turnovers, mistakes Oklahoma City turned into 34 points.—
Doug Haller,
New York Times,
20 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Despite that promise, reports indicate the tool often misinterprets requests.—
Thomas Westerholm,
MSNBC Newsweek,
31 Mar. 2026
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The administration misinterprets a Nixon-era law in its bid to reimpose tariffs struck down by the Supreme Court.—
Editorial Board,
Washington Post,
24 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Misunderstands.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/misunderstands. Accessed 17 May. 2026.
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