misunderstand

verb

mis·​un·​der·​stand (ˌ)mi-ˌsən-dər-ˈstand How to pronounce misunderstand (audio)
misunderstood (ˌ)mi-ˌsən-dər-ˈstu̇d How to pronounce misunderstand (audio) ; misunderstanding

transitive verb

1
: to fail to understand
2
: to interpret incorrectly

Examples of misunderstand in a Sentence

Don't misunderstand me—I'm not criticizing your decision. He feels that the critics have completely misunderstood his movies. She expressed herself in clear terms that no one could misunderstand.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
But to define Alex Martins by the Magic’s win-loss record is to fundamentally misunderstand the impact he’s had — not just on a franchise, but on a city. Mike Bianchi, The Orlando Sentinel, 25 June 2025 The straightforward, seemingly trivial moment—a dog misunderstanding the basic principles of light and shadow—turned into a comically relatable spectacle. Melissa Fleur Afshar, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 June 2025 But to say that Emma is representative of the ASD community is to misunderstand the nature of the spectrum. Laura Tillman, Hartford Courant, 16 June 2025 In that ruling, the Supreme Court said lower courts were misunderstanding their methodology. Maureen Groppe, USA Today, 3 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for misunderstand

Word History

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of misunderstand was in the 13th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Misunderstand.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/misunderstand. Accessed 13 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

misunderstand

verb
mis·​un·​der·​stand (ˌ)mis-ˌən-dər-ˈstand How to pronounce misunderstand (audio)
misunderstood -ˈstu̇d How to pronounce misunderstand (audio) ; misunderstanding
1
: to fail to understand
2
: to interpret incorrectly

More from Merriam-Webster on misunderstand

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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