misunderstanding 1 of 2

noun

(ˌ)mi-ˌsən-dər-ˈstan-diŋ How to pronounce misunderstanding (audio)
Definition of misunderstandingnext
1
as in mistake
a failure to understand correctly people once thought that there were canals on Mars because of a common misunderstanding of a report by an Italian astronomer

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2
as in dispute
an often noisy or angry expression of differing opinions tried to resolve their misunderstandings peacefully

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misunderstanding

2 of 2

verb

present participle of misunderstand
as in missing
to fail to understand the true or actual meaning of you misunderstood that poem because you took everything so literally

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of misunderstanding
Noun
As romance gives way to heartbreak, misunderstandings and difficult choices, the sisters may not always see eye to eye. — Charley Ward, Condé Nast Traveler, 15 Oct. 2026 And this was his opportunity to get in front of Chicago voters and that answer is just a fundamental misunderstanding of what happened here. — Chris Tye, CBS News, 14 Oct. 2026
Verb
There has already been some backlash to the project, with fans apparently misunderstanding the scope of the technology. — Emily Zemler, Rolling Stone, 9 June 2026 In an article coming tomorrow, Clint Smith explores the betrayal of Black military officers, calling out the forces of reaction for misunderstanding the nature of patriotism. — The Atlantic, 8 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for misunderstanding
Recent Examples of Synonyms for misunderstanding
  1. mistake
  2. dispute
  3. missing
  4. misinterpretation
  5. disagreement
  6. mistaking
  7. misreading
  8. altercation
Noun
  • And if so, did Democrats make a mistake by not investing earlier?
    — ABC News, ABC News, 25 Oct. 2026
  • Tampa Bay, which won the AL pennant by forcing opponents into mistakes, committed one error, made two other misplays that could have been charged as errors and had a runner thrown out at the plate.
    — Ronald Blum, Los Angeles Times, 25 Oct. 2026
Definition of mistake
Noun
  • But the movement has widened to include workers demanding relief from rising living costs, making the government’s task broader than resolving a dispute over university admissions.
    — Thomas Adamson, Los Angeles Times, 27 Oct. 2026
  • Debt, the deficit and high interest rates limit the government’s ability to increase spending and foreshadow disputes over how to fund campaign promises without jeopardizing social programs.
    — Alessandra Freitas, CNN Money, 26 Oct. 2026
Definition of dispute
Verb
  • What was missing was the physical reorganization of factories.
    — Stephen Messer, Fortune, 23 Oct. 2026
  • His raspy voice, his beard, his missing finger and the cadence of his speech have been fixtures of Brazilian public life since Brazil’s first direct presidential election after the dictatorship ended in 1985.
    — Alessandra Freitas, CNN Money, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of missing
Noun
  • The hiring manager’s standards stop living only in people’s heads and start living in the system, applied without misinterpretation or human bias.
    — Pradeep Prasana Kanagaraj, Forbes.com, 25 Sep. 2026
  • Sánchez, who faces an election next year, has said a misinterpretation of a Supreme Court ruling and disinformation on social media encouraged people to rush the border.
    — Suman Naishadham, Los Angeles Times, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of misinterpretation
Noun
  • South Korean officials have said North Korea's recent border activities have highlighted the Koreas' disagreement over exactly where the military demarcation line lies.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 24 Oct. 2026
  • Both blame each other for the fiery fights, with Lago saying that disagreements between commissioners used to be more civil before Castro and Commissioner Ariel Fernandez were elected in 2023.
    — Michelle Marchante, Miami Herald, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of disagreement
Verb
  • There’s irony, Gilbert said, in realizing that his father has played rapists, drug dealers, and cartel members without audiences mistaking their beliefs for his own.
    — Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 15 Oct. 2026
  • Pick it up, however, and there's no mistaking how much battery Bluetti has squeezed inside.
    — Michael Lydick, PC Magazine, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of mistaking
Noun
  • Assuming that the Houthis would automatically act at Tehran’s command reflected a misreading of Yemeni history and of the identity markers that shape the movement’s political legitimacy.
    — Laurent Bonnefoy, The Conversation, 14 Oct. 2026
  • But where Hwan’s Christianity is a willful, grotesque misreading of the Bible, Latif actively wrestles with his moral shortcomings.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 25 Sep. 2026
Definition of misreading
Noun
  • Several callers reported that multiple individuals were involved in the altercation as well as a possible weapon.
    — Nick Harris, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 26 Oct. 2026
  • The police chief told reporters the shooting likely stemmed from an altercation between two to three individuals and that the department’s Violent Crimes Unit would lead the ongoing investigation.
    — Karina Tsui, CNN Money, 25 Oct. 2026
Definition of altercation

Browse Nearby Words

misunderstand
misunderstanding
misunderstandings
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Cite this Entry

“Misunderstanding.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/misunderstanding. Accessed 28 Oct. 2026.

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