misunderstanding
Americannoun
-
failure to understand correctly; mistake as to meaning or intent.
- Synonyms:
- misconception, error, misapprehension
-
a disagreement or quarrel.
- Synonyms:
- dissension, difficulty, difference, discord
- Antonyms:
- concord
noun
-
a failure to understand properly
-
a disagreement
Other Word Forms
- misunderstandingly adverb
Etymology
Origin of misunderstanding
First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English; mis- 1 + understanding
Explanation
A misunderstanding is what happens when you don't comprehend something correctly. It's also another name for a disagreement, like the misunderstanding you and your sister had about whose turn it was to do the dishes. The result of not clearly understanding someone or something is a misunderstanding. A misunderstanding between teammates can lead to dropped passes and lost points, and a misunderstanding of the pool rules can get you benched for doing a cannonball in the shallow end. You can also call a minor argument a misunderstanding.
Vocabulary lists containing misunderstanding
myPerspectives 8.3
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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.
“It’s hard to argue that brandishing a firearm during a traffic misunderstanding is either allowed by federal law or necessary and proper for fulfilling ICE’s duties,” he said.
From Slate • Apr. 17, 2026
After being approached by BBC News with her comments to the undercover reporter, Tanisa blamed communication difficulties for a "misunderstanding" and said she doesn't speak Urdu fluently.
From BBC • Apr. 15, 2026
US Vice President JD Vance appeared to take a softer tone, saying there may have been a "legitimate misunderstanding" from Iran that Lebanon would be included.
From Barron's • Apr. 10, 2026
I feel like there’s a misunderstanding of them, of where they come from or things they’ve been through that contribute to the way they are.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 25, 2026
We told him we were students and this was a big misunderstanding.
From "A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier" by Ishmael Beah
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.
