- past participle of misunderstand.
- past tense form 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.
So when our realtor texted early Monday morning to tell us our offer had been accepted, we assumed we’d misunderstood.
From Slate ● Oct. 28, 2026
Man City have denied the claims and say the Premier League had misunderstood the sponsorship agreements.
From BBC ● Sep. 29, 2026
The author ruminates on Brahms’s inner qualities, telling us that Brahms has been misunderstood as uncivilized.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 25, 2026
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
“My nephew wouldn’t lie. He’s honest as the day is long. Perhaps you just misunderstood, Lester.”
From "Moon Over Manifest" by Clare Vanderpool
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
