as in missed
to fail to understand the true or actual meaning of
you misunderstood that poem because you took everything so literally
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of misunderstood
Democrats stand for upholding the Constitution and Rule of Law but have been misunderstood by the electorate.
—
Rachel Royster, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 Feb. 2026
So both sides have misunderstood his constituency.
—Newsweek Staff, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 Nov. 2025
Many patients are surprised to learn that watery eyes can actually be a sign of dryness, a common but frequently misunderstood symptom.
—Team Verywell Health, Verywell Health, 6 Oct. 2025
Riesling, a white grape native to Germany, is beloved by a small and devoted cadre of wine geeks, yet is misunderstood by the masses.
—Jess Lander, San Francisco Chronicle, 11 Mar. 2024
See All Example Sentences for misunderstood
Rachel Royster, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 Feb. 2026
So both sides have misunderstood his constituency.
—Newsweek Staff, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 Nov. 2025
Many patients are surprised to learn that watery eyes can actually be a sign of dryness, a common but frequently misunderstood symptom.
—Team Verywell Health, Verywell Health, 6 Oct. 2025
Riesling, a white grape native to Germany, is beloved by a small and devoted cadre of wine geeks, yet is misunderstood by the masses.
—Jess Lander, San Francisco Chronicle, 11 Mar. 2024
See All Example Sentences for misunderstood
Recent Examples of Synonyms for misunderstood
Verb
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But Maxey missed his final three attempts, and the Celtics held on to win.—
Zack Cox,
Boston Herald,
25 Apr. 2026
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Houston survived James’ missed potential winner at the end of regulation after Alperen Şengün couldn’t score on the other end, but overtime felt inevitable — and so did the unraveling.—
Dan Woike,
New York Times,
25 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Hundreds of issues are ignored or misconstrued because people are not presented with enough facts.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
15 Apr. 2026
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Trump later denied comparing himself to Jesus, arguing that the image was being misconstrued and that he was actually depicted as a doctor.—
Anthony Robledo,
USA Today,
14 Apr. 2026
Verb
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When brands misread cultural nuance or show up opportunistically, the response is immediate, and often unforgiving.—
Angelique Kuiper,
Rolling Stone,
21 Apr. 2026
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The fragile ceasefire is set to expire Tuesday, and some strategists have warned that investors are at risk of misreading how news about the conflict is reflected in market movements.—
Joseph Wilkins,
CNBC,
20 Apr. 2026
Verb
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About 90 minutes after the lockdown took effect, the Naval Academy’s deputy commandant emailed students, telling them that as law enforcement worked to secure the school, a midshipman mistook police for a threat and engaged them, according to the official.—
Meredith Colias-Pete,
Chicago Tribune,
9 Apr. 2026
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Curtain calls In 1999, a male hippo in rut apparently mistook a passing tractor at a French zoo for a rival and smashed through his enclosure fencing.—
Scott Lafee,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
7 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Keep your messages direct so nothing gets misinterpreted.—
Tarot.com,
New York Daily News,
22 Apr. 2026
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And now the pope says some of his remarks have been misinterpreted.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
19 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Misunderstood.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/misunderstood. Accessed 27 Apr. 2026.
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