misunderstanding
noun
mis·un·der·stand·ing
(ˌ)mi-ˌsən-dər-ˈstan-diŋ 
1
: a failure to understand : misinterpretation
The instructions were carefully written to prevent misunderstanding.
2
: quarrel, disagreement
an unfortunate misunderstanding between two old friends
Synonyms
Examples of misunderstanding in a Sentence
The instructions are carefully written in order to avoid misunderstanding.
Her comments reflect a misunderstanding of the basic problem.
using clear language to avoid misunderstandings
an unfortunate misunderstanding between old friends
We had our little misunderstandings in the past but we managed to clear them up long ago.
Recent Examples on the Web
Accusations flew on Tuesday’s episode of The Valley after a broken game of telephone led to a misunderstanding among the group.
—
Dana Rose Falcone, Peoplemag, 3 Apr. 2024
This is the common misunderstanding with both RCS in general and Apple’s update in particular.
—Zak Doffman, Forbes, 30 Mar. 2024
Part of the reason for that misunderstanding could be the large number of people who move into the Dallas-Fort Worth area every year, Schackmann said.
—Silas Allen, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 25 Mar. 2024
Follow up by encouraging the child to role play with toys which may undercover misconceptions or misunderstandings.
—Madeline Holcombe, CNN, 22 Mar. 2024
But that line of reasoning betrays a deep misunderstanding of what democracy requires.
—Brian Klaas, The Atlantic, 14 Mar. 2024
The scarcity of Black executives in key roles can lead to a fundamental misunderstanding of the unique narratives and significance that Black shows bring to the screen.
—Shelby Stewart, Essence, 26 Feb. 2024
There are plenty of misunderstandings about crime and how it’s measured in the U.S. Are the two statements accurate?
—Journal Sentinel, 25 Feb. 2024
In a mix of misunderstanding and dice-rolling, fans for the Padres and Dodgers schlepped all the way to Asia for Major League Baseball’s two-game opener between the Padres and Dodgers.
—Bryce Miller, San Diego Union-Tribune, 20 Mar. 2024
Dana Rose Falcone, Peoplemag, 3 Apr. 2024
This is the common misunderstanding with both RCS in general and Apple’s update in particular.
—Zak Doffman, Forbes, 30 Mar. 2024
Part of the reason for that misunderstanding could be the large number of people who move into the Dallas-Fort Worth area every year, Schackmann said.
—Silas Allen, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 25 Mar. 2024
Follow up by encouraging the child to role play with toys which may undercover misconceptions or misunderstandings.
—Madeline Holcombe, CNN, 22 Mar. 2024
But that line of reasoning betrays a deep misunderstanding of what democracy requires.
—Brian Klaas, The Atlantic, 14 Mar. 2024
The scarcity of Black executives in key roles can lead to a fundamental misunderstanding of the unique narratives and significance that Black shows bring to the screen.
—Shelby Stewart, Essence, 26 Feb. 2024
There are plenty of misunderstandings about crime and how it’s measured in the U.S. Are the two statements accurate?
—Journal Sentinel, 25 Feb. 2024
In a mix of misunderstanding and dice-rolling, fans for the Padres and Dodgers schlepped all the way to Asia for Major League Baseball’s two-game opener between the Padres and Dodgers.
—Bryce Miller, San Diego Union-Tribune, 20 Mar. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'misunderstanding.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near misunderstanding
Cite this Entry
“Misunderstanding.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/misunderstanding. Accessed 17 Apr. 2024.
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