- past tense form of misunderstand.
- past participle of misunderstand.
misunderstood
Americanadjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of misunderstood
First recorded in 1585–95; mis- 1 + understood
Explanation
The adjective misunderstood is used to describe someone or something that is not correctly or fully grasped by others. A joke that is misunderstood will likely fall flat, as the audience just doesn't get it. In the most basic sense, the word misunderstood is the past participle of misunderstand. Misunderstood homework instructions will likely result in the students turning in the wrong work. The word misunderstood is more commonly used to describe people who are, or feel, unappreciated because others don't see their true feelings, motives, or brilliance: Think of a misunderstood genius, like Galileo, whose ideas were not appreciated in his own time, or a misunderstood character in a story, whose "good" reasons for doing bad things are not known to the other characters.
Vocabulary lists containing misunderstood
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.
If its reach has been misunderstood, other explanations built around the traditional model may also need to be reconsidered.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 14, 2026
Some were men who, like him, were misunderstood or misread, and Mr. Fukuyama writes of them as kindred spirits.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 8, 2026
Holmes and Evans embrace what they call “radical transparency,” opening their home to the cameras in hopes of convincing the filmmakers — and eventually the world — that the public has fundamentally misunderstood her.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 7, 2026
"I've always been misunderstood because of how I look," she sang on 2008's Backwood Barbie.
From BBC ● Aug. 26, 2026
Luke wondered if he’d always misunderstood the meaning of the word “relief.”
From "Among the Hidden" by Margaret Peterson Haddix
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.
