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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in dispute
an often noisy or angry expression of differing opinions
tried to resolve their misunderstandings peacefully
Synonyms & Similar Words
as in missing
to fail to understand the true or actual meaning of
you misunderstood that poem because you took everything so literally
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of misunderstanding
Maria Colacurcio,
Fortune,
28 June 2026
The investigation appeared to be animated by a conservative activists’ misunderstanding of the county’s ballot-counting process.
—
Ben Paviour,
Sacbee.com,
26 June 2026
Literary Hub,
3 Apr. 2026
This could be along the lines of a passive-aggressive email or a coworker misunderstanding your tone.
—
Valerie Mesa,
PEOPLE,
1 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for misunderstanding
Noun
Good relationships require patience, conflict, and misunderstanding.
—
Maria Colacurcio,
Fortune,
28 June 2026
The investigation appeared to be animated by a conservative activists’ misunderstanding of the county’s ballot-counting process.
—
Ben Paviour,
Sacbee.com,
26 June 2026
Verb
David Schurman Wallace on misunderstanding Gertrude Stein.
—
Literary Hub,
3 Apr. 2026
This could be along the lines of a passive-aggressive email or a coworker misunderstanding your tone.
—
Valerie Mesa,
PEOPLE,
1 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for misunderstanding
Recent Examples of Synonyms for misunderstanding
Noun
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That ended his day after five innings of one-run ball, with just one mistake — a slider that Manny Machado clobbered for a solo homer — against him.
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Will this turn into a tragic mistake Daemon soon regrets?
Noun
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The legal action is part of a broader series of disputes in the streaming industry over carriage rights, bundling requirements and pricing control.
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The dispute over Mississippi's law dates back to 2024, when the Republican National Committee and Mississippi's Libertarian Party filed lawsuits challenging the ballot-receipt deadline.
Verb
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Canada, the first World Cup host to play a game outside its borders, could get a boost if Alphonso Davies, its best player, can play after missing the team’s first three games.
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Elsewhere, Iran’s soccer team has been eliminated from the 2026 FIFA World Cup, missing the 32-team knockout stages by one spot in heartbreaking fashion.
Noun
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To prevent misinterpretation and reduce anxiety, leaders should establish clear exit norms.
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There’s been some willful misinterpretation by the media in response.
Noun
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Some states chose not to send representatives; several of them cited disagreements with the partisan mission.
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The city commission reached a major step forward on the project after months of delays and disagreements over the best way to replace the old City Hall, which was damaged beyond repair by the historic flooding of April 2023.
Verb
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The catered lunch and the free wellbeing app are not the problem; mistaking them for the work being worth doing is.
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The cultural mistake is mistaking exposure and awareness for outcome.
Noun
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What a misreading of the moment that was.
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But a person familiar with the US-Israel discussions said the gap reflects a deeper misreading on Israel’s part.
Noun
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While Blutinger was speaking, history professor Jonathan Roth attempted to take video of the protesters in the hallway and got into a physical altercation with a female student who tried to block him from doing so.
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During that altercation, the other person shot Perkins several times, police said.
Cite this Entry
“Misunderstanding.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/misunderstanding. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.
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