misunderstanding
noun
mis·un·der·stand·ing
(ˌ)mi-ˌsən-dər-ˈstan-diŋ 
1
: a failure to understand : misinterpretation
The instructions were carefully written to prevent misunderstanding.
2
: quarrel, disagreement
an unfortunate misunderstanding between two old friends
Synonyms
Examples of misunderstanding in a Sentence
The instructions are carefully written in order to avoid misunderstanding.
Her comments reflect a misunderstanding of the basic problem.
using clear language to avoid misunderstandings
an unfortunate misunderstanding between old friends
We had our little misunderstandings in the past but we managed to clear them up long ago.
Recent Examples on the Web
Keep your lines of communication open and you’re poised to resolve areas of misunderstanding so both of you reap benefits.
—
Debbie Frank, Peoplemag, 10 Apr. 2024
But the course of true love is frustrated by the characters’ cultural misunderstandings and the woman’s initial self-doubt.
—Patrick Frater, Variety, 8 Apr. 2024
One of the biggest misunderstandings that people have when buying these products is that CBD and THC are the same.
—Amber Smith, Discover Magazine, 3 Apr. 2024
Always try to understand and inquire about how things are done to avoid any misunderstandings.
—Rocky Romanella, Forbes, 29 Mar. 2024
Her order seems to convey the same misunderstanding of the Presidential Records Act as when the 11th Circuit overturned her order for a third-party review of the records.
—Bart Jansen, USA TODAY, 19 Mar. 2024
To many Malaysians, though, the European Union’s mandate reflects a deep misunderstanding.
—Patricia Cohen Jes Aznar, New York Times, 14 Mar. 2024
Accusations flew on Tuesday’s episode of The Valley after a broken game of telephone led to a misunderstanding among the group.
—Dana Rose Falcone, Peoplemag, 3 Apr. 2024
This is the common misunderstanding with both RCS in general and Apple’s update in particular.
—Zak Doffman, Forbes, 30 Mar. 2024
Debbie Frank, Peoplemag, 10 Apr. 2024
But the course of true love is frustrated by the characters’ cultural misunderstandings and the woman’s initial self-doubt.
—Patrick Frater, Variety, 8 Apr. 2024
One of the biggest misunderstandings that people have when buying these products is that CBD and THC are the same.
—Amber Smith, Discover Magazine, 3 Apr. 2024
Always try to understand and inquire about how things are done to avoid any misunderstandings.
—Rocky Romanella, Forbes, 29 Mar. 2024
Her order seems to convey the same misunderstanding of the Presidential Records Act as when the 11th Circuit overturned her order for a third-party review of the records.
—Bart Jansen, USA TODAY, 19 Mar. 2024
To many Malaysians, though, the European Union’s mandate reflects a deep misunderstanding.
—Patricia Cohen Jes Aznar, New York Times, 14 Mar. 2024
Accusations flew on Tuesday’s episode of The Valley after a broken game of telephone led to a misunderstanding among the group.
—Dana Rose Falcone, Peoplemag, 3 Apr. 2024
This is the common misunderstanding with both RCS in general and Apple’s update in particular.
—Zak Doffman, Forbes, 30 Mar. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'misunderstanding.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near misunderstanding
Cite this Entry
“Misunderstanding.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/misunderstanding. Accessed 25 Apr. 2024.
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