misunderstand
[ mis-uhn-der-stand ]
/ ˌmɪs ʌn dərˈstænd /
verb (used with object), mis·un·der·stood, mis·un·der·stand·ing.
to take (words, statements, etc.) in a wrong sense; understand wrongly.
to fail to understand or interpret rightly the words or behavior of.
RELATED WORDS
misread, misinterpret, miscalculate, confuse, misjudge, misconstrue, misconceive, confound, misapply, fail, miss, misapprehend, mistake, misreckon, misknow
Nearby words
- mistrustful,
- mistrustfully,
- mistryst,
- misty,
- misty-eyed,
- misunderstanding,
- misunderstood,
- misusage,
- misuse,
- misuser
Origin of misunderstand
First recorded in 1150–1200, misunderstand is from the Middle English word misunderstanden. See mis-1, understand
SYNONYMS FOR misunderstand
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019
Examples from the Web for misunderstand
misunderstand
/ (ˌmɪsʌndəˈstænd) /
verb -stands, -standing or -stood
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
misunderstand
c.1200; see mis- (1) + understand. Related: Misunderstood; misunderstanding.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper