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.

Doctors say many patients misunderstand the role of the drugs.

From BBC • Mar. 17, 2026

To treat it as a separate category is to misunderstand the American story itself.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 4, 2026

It’s easy for students to misunderstand and misinterpret college award letters that specify the financial aid they will receive.

From MarketWatch • Oct. 31, 2025

In a statement to Barron’s, a Google spokesperson said that “these lawsuits fundamentally misunderstand how YouTube works and the allegations are simply not true.”

From Barron's • Oct. 9, 2025

Then, so Chester couldn’t misunderstand, he made a chirping noise himself.

From "The Cricket in Times Square" by George Selden

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