misunderstand
Americanverb (used with object)
-
to take (words, statements, etc.) in a wrong sense; understand wrongly.
- Synonyms:
- misinterpret, misapprehend, misconstrue
-
to fail to understand or interpret rightly the words or behavior of.
verb
Other Word Forms
- misunderstander noun
Etymology
Origin of misunderstand
First recorded in 1150–1200, misunderstand is from the Middle English word misunderstanden. See mis- 1, understand
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.
He said his father's arrest last year was due to a misunderstanding with police officers.
From BBC
“Really? Is it talking to me?” he asked, completely misunderstanding again.
From Literature
They said the fears surrounding Blue Owl aren’t tied to evidence of losses or poor underwriting, but rather to a misunderstanding.
The organisation maintains that the policy is "unfair and discriminatory" and that the decision reflects "a fundamental misunderstanding of Freemasonry as it is today".
From BBC
One of the most common misunderstandings about tariffs is who pays them.
From MarketWatch
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.
