misunderstood

[mis-uhn-der-stood]

adjective

1. improperly understood or interpreted.

2. not appreciated.

misunderstood

/ ˌmɪsʌndəˈstʊd /

adjective

1. not properly or sympathetically understood

   a misunderstood work of art

   a misunderstood adolescent

Other Word Forms

• half-misunderstood adjective
• unmisunderstood adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of misunderstood¹

First recorded in 1585–95; mis- ¹ + understood

Example Sentences

“My brother misunderstood with the machine,” Carlos explained.

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“L.A. is the loneliest and most brutal of American cities,” it reads, echoing a common critique of one of the world’s most misunderstood urban areas.

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He isn't misunderstood because he behaves badly; he's misunderstood because his existence unsettles old certainties about who gets to define respect.

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The 20-year-old says she has felt misunderstood ever since as someone with the condition, and that she has been mocked throughout her life.

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"It roughly affects about one in ten women and those assigned female at birth, but it's quite a misunderstood and under diagnosed condition," she said.

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