misunderstand
Americanverb (used with object)
-
to take (words, statements, etc.) in a wrong sense; understand wrongly.
- Synonyms:
- misinterpret, misapprehend, misconstrue
-
to fail to understand or interpret rightly the words or behavior of.
verb
Other Word Forms
- misunderstander noun
Etymology
Origin of misunderstand
First recorded in 1150–1200, misunderstand is from the Middle English word misunderstanden. See mis- 1, understand
Explanation
To misunderstand is to incorrectly interpret what someone means. If you misunderstand the directions for taking your medication, you might end up feeling loopy or passing out. When a football player misunderstands the coach's instructions, he might make the wrong play. If a baker misunderstands what you ask him to write on your best friend's birthday cake, he might misspell her name. The verb misunderstand adds the "bad" or "wrong" prefix mis- to understand, from an Old English root, understandan, that literally means "stand in the midst of."
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
In interviews, he has emphasized that his time working at Trader Joe’s was never something to be ashamed of, but rather only something others chose to misunderstand.
From Salon • Apr. 4, 2026
Doctors say many patients misunderstand the role of the drugs.
From BBC • Mar. 17, 2026
Don’t misunderstand me: That does not mean you should not get married.
From MarketWatch • Feb. 14, 2026
Those who point to Japan or China as examples of countries that have modernized without widely adopting English misunderstand India.
From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 3, 2025
Janie wanted to ask Hezekiah about Tea Cake, but she was afraid he might misunderstand her and think she was interested.
From "Their Eyes Were Watching God" by Zora Neale Hurston
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
