- present participle of misunderstand.
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
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
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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Words with 15 or More Letters, List 1
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Part 1 Vocabulary (Unit 1)
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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.
See Examples For:
Mark Joseph Stern: There has been a lot of misunderstanding about exactly what the liberal justices did in B.P.J., and I want to clear that up.
From Slate ● Jul. 15, 2026
"This story was based on a very basic misunderstanding of accounts and Yes Scotland's financial statements," Jenkins' solicitor Aamer Anwar said.
From BBC ● Jul. 14, 2026
A court spokeswoman said the exchange was based on a misunderstanding.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 28, 2026
Citrini pushed back, flagging a “fundamental misunderstanding of the business model.”
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 25, 2026
Yet, when he finally got up the bravery, when he spoke to her directly, there was no misunderstanding.
From "Clairboyance" by Kristiana Kahakauwila
Yang: The misunderstandings are about people’s tones, and not necessarily about the things that people are pointing toward.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 11, 2026
But there are insights about his perception of—and plans for—America to be gained from examining those misunderstandings.
From Slate ● Jun. 11, 2026
The Palantir board recommended shareholders vote down the proposals, arguing they are “predicated on misunderstandings and inaccuracies about Palantir’s work.”
From Barron's ● Jun. 3, 2026
The process was filled with misunderstandings and distrust as the techie outsiders worked to win over the risk-averse industry veterans.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 5, 2026
I suppose we also had misunderstandings for other reasons.
From "The House of the Spirits: A Novel" by Isabel Allende
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.
