misunderstand

American

[mis-uhn-der-stand] / ˌmɪs ʌn dərˈstænd /

verb (used with object)

misunderstood, misunderstanding

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.

misunderstand British

/ ˌmɪsʌndəˈstænd /

verb

to fail to understand properly

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

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

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.

“Really? Is it talking to me?” he asked, completely misunderstanding again.

From Literature

They said the fears surrounding Blue Owl aren’t tied to evidence of losses or poor underwriting, but rather to a misunderstanding.

From The Wall Street Journal

The organisation maintains that the policy is "unfair and discriminatory" and that the decision reflects "a fundamental misunderstanding of Freemasonry as it is today".

From BBC

One of the most common misunderstandings about tariffs is who pays them.

From MarketWatch

Don’t misunderstand me: That does not mean you should not get married.

From MarketWatch

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023