misunderstand
verb
mis·un·der·stand
(ˌ)mi-ˌsən-dər-ˈstand 
misunderstood
(ˌ)mi-ˌsən-dər-ˈstu̇d
; misunderstanding
; misunderstanding
Synonyms
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
Flashback: Since the advent of the personal computer, parents have misunderstood their kids' tech use — and also misinterpreted the dangers.
—
Megan Morrone, Axios, 18 Sep. 2024
Furthermore, a lot of hunters misunderstand deer feeding habits and refer to them as grazers, similar to livestock species.
—Josh Honeycutt, Outdoor Life, 12 Sep. 2024
This has been misunderstood for a long time and misreported by mainstream media.
—Joel Khalili, WIRED, 12 Aug. 2024
Pity is a natural feeling between generations, each of which thinks the other is surely misunderstanding something important about life—and yet, bonds are strong: Ceasing to recognize your parent’s or child’s humanity is nearly impossible.
—Hillary Kelly, The Atlantic, 10 Aug. 2024
See all Example Sentences for misunderstand 
Megan Morrone, Axios, 18 Sep. 2024
Furthermore, a lot of hunters misunderstand deer feeding habits and refer to them as grazers, similar to livestock species.
—Josh Honeycutt, Outdoor Life, 12 Sep. 2024
This has been misunderstood for a long time and misreported by mainstream media.
—Joel Khalili, WIRED, 12 Aug. 2024
Pity is a natural feeling between generations, each of which thinks the other is surely misunderstanding something important about life—and yet, bonds are strong: Ceasing to recognize your parent’s or child’s humanity is nearly impossible.
—Hillary Kelly, The Atlantic, 10 Aug. 2024
See all Example Sentences for misunderstand
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'misunderstand.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Misunderstand.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/misunderstand. Accessed 2 Oct. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
misunderstand
verb
mis·un·der·stand
(ˌ)mis-ˌən-dər-ˈstand
misunderstood
-ˈstu̇d
; misunderstanding
; misunderstanding
1
: to fail to understand
2
: to interpret incorrectly
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