as in to miss
to fail to understand the true or actual meaning of
you misunderstood that poem because you took everything so literally
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of misunderstand
This fundamentally misunderstands physical infrastructure.
—
Siddharth Misra, Fortune, 28 Mar. 2026
But people also misunderstand sharia and how it is applied, according to the Council on Foreign Relations.
—Rachel Royster, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 27 Mar. 2026
Offshore planning that relies primarily on obscurity misunderstands how transparent global finance has become.
—Ascend Agency, Chicago Tribune, 12 Mar. 2026
This epic fantasy follows Nausicaa’s efforts to protect animal welfare through peaceful measures and negotiations with her community, who misunderstand and mistreat animals.
—Bestreviews, Mercury News, 9 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for misunderstand
Siddharth Misra, Fortune, 28 Mar. 2026
But people also misunderstand sharia and how it is applied, according to the Council on Foreign Relations.
—Rachel Royster, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 27 Mar. 2026
Offshore planning that relies primarily on obscurity misunderstands how transparent global finance has become.
—Ascend Agency, Chicago Tribune, 12 Mar. 2026
This epic fantasy follows Nausicaa’s efforts to protect animal welfare through peaceful measures and negotiations with her community, who misunderstand and mistreat animals.
—Bestreviews, Mercury News, 9 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for misunderstand
Recent Examples of Synonyms for misunderstand
Verb
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If catchers, pitchers, or hitters believed an umpire missed a call, they were suddenly allowed to challenge it.—
Ian Miller OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
29 Apr. 2026
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The one big missing piece was seeing her team finally capture an elusive state championship.—
Buddy Collings,
The Orlando Sentinel,
29 Apr. 2026
Verb
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There was confusion at first about whether a shooting had occurred or whether plates dropping to the floor had been mistaken for gunshots.—
Andrea Castillo,
Los Angeles Times,
26 Apr. 2026
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When a Southern California resident spotted a fleshy purple organism on the shore, she might have been forgiven for mistaking it for a fungus.—
Samantha Agate,
Charlotte Observer,
23 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Engen compounded that mistake by misreading a back-pass from teammate Lindsey Heaps in the 83rd minute.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
26 Apr. 2026
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Those who identify Elise as Malfatti contend that Nohl simply misread Beethoven’s handwriting of the name Therese.—
Brian Duignan,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Prior to the Board’s decision, several Skokie residents came to the defense of Johnson, arguing that their previous advocacy efforts for the village have long been misconstrued.—
Claire Murphy,
Chicago Tribune,
24 Apr. 2026
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Though Lowth voiced no hard and fast rule against it, many a grammar maven later misconstrued his advice as an admonition.—
Valerie M. Fridland,
The Conversation,
21 Apr. 2026
Verb
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People begin to misinterpret numbers and dangerously believe the data replaces clinical support.—
Alexa Mikhail,
Flow Space,
24 Apr. 2026
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Keep your messages direct so nothing gets misinterpreted.—
Tarot.com,
New York Daily News,
22 Apr. 2026
Verb
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That is true of leaders anywhere, but Israel’s history has predisposed some of its policymakers to focus excessively on day-to-day survival and to misapprehend or ignore strategic dynamics as a result.—
Andrew P. Miller,
Foreign Affairs,
5 Dec. 2025
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But would her students, turned on everywhere by the dogma of political correctness, misapprehend Haynes’s aim?—
Doreen St. Félix,
The New Yorker,
22 June 2023
Cite this Entry
“Misunderstand.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/misunderstand. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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