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
That common response misunderstands the reality of addiction, said Nora Volkow, director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse.
—
Lauren Peace, CNN, 27 Mar. 2024
The inclusion of CarPlay, as well as digital key functions through Apple’s Wallet feature, came as a surprise to some analysts, who say that the DOJ may be misunderstanding the utility and functions of the phone-mirroring system.
—Andrew J. Hawkins, The Verge, 21 Mar. 2024
Moreover, conflating bots with women misunderstands the nature of misogyny.
—Jennifer Wilson, The New Yorker, 15 Apr. 2024
Becker said the groups misunderstand his intentions and that conversations about their concerns are ongoing.
—Stephen Hobbs, Sacramento Bee, 11 Apr. 2024
After many years in the trenches as an advocate, Castillo believes there is a high level of misunderstanding about the Latino community.
—Cynthia Littleton, Variety, 8 Apr. 2024
That discomfort and lack of preparation can pose a big problem for workplace harmony—some employees may misunderstand DEI initiatives, while others may feel unprotected by their leaders.
—Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 4 Apr. 2024
The seven former heads of the FDA said the ruling by the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals that temporarily restricted access to mifepristone fundamentally misunderstood the science involved in the decision and jeopardized the drug approval process in the future.
—Daniel Desrochers, Kansas City Star, 25 Mar. 2024
Left home alone for large stretches of time, Doris finds herself with a group of friends who misunderstand and adore her in equal measure (including Ella Anderson as Brittany, Daniella Taylor as Laci, Ariel Martin as Megan, and Amarr as Nate).
—Lindsay Lee Wallace, TIME, 9 Feb. 2024
Lauren Peace, CNN, 27 Mar. 2024
The inclusion of CarPlay, as well as digital key functions through Apple’s Wallet feature, came as a surprise to some analysts, who say that the DOJ may be misunderstanding the utility and functions of the phone-mirroring system.
—Andrew J. Hawkins, The Verge, 21 Mar. 2024
Moreover, conflating bots with women misunderstands the nature of misogyny.
—Jennifer Wilson, The New Yorker, 15 Apr. 2024
Becker said the groups misunderstand his intentions and that conversations about their concerns are ongoing.
—Stephen Hobbs, Sacramento Bee, 11 Apr. 2024
After many years in the trenches as an advocate, Castillo believes there is a high level of misunderstanding about the Latino community.
—Cynthia Littleton, Variety, 8 Apr. 2024
That discomfort and lack of preparation can pose a big problem for workplace harmony—some employees may misunderstand DEI initiatives, while others may feel unprotected by their leaders.
—Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 4 Apr. 2024
The seven former heads of the FDA said the ruling by the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals that temporarily restricted access to mifepristone fundamentally misunderstood the science involved in the decision and jeopardized the drug approval process in the future.
—Daniel Desrochers, Kansas City Star, 25 Mar. 2024
Left home alone for large stretches of time, Doris finds herself with a group of friends who misunderstand and adore her in equal measure (including Ella Anderson as Brittany, Daniella Taylor as Laci, Ariel Martin as Megan, and Amarr as Nate).
—Lindsay Lee Wallace, TIME, 9 Feb. 2024
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 3 May. 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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