- 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.
I think the common denominator in all of us who love your music is that we are black sheep — the weird ones, the chronically misunderstood.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 21, 2026
Both Charlotte and Connor were also on shift in the record-breaking heat last month and say the health risks of heatwaves are often misunderstood.
From BBC ● Jul. 10, 2026
John Quincy Adams reminds us that leadership can be ahead of its time, misunderstood in the moment yet essential in hindsight.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 30, 2026
But for a film to become a misunderstood classic, it has to be worth paying any attention to in the first place.
From Salon ● Jun. 27, 2026
Only now, after all this lost time, did I realize how terribly I had misunderstood both her game and the prize for winning it.
From "Paper Towns" by John Green
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.
