misunderstands

verb

present tense third-person singular of misunderstand
as in misses
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

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 misunderstands Ribera insists that this misunderstands the European perspective. — Justin Worland, Time, 3 Oct. 2026 Imagine a fall-detection system that fails at night, a workplace safety monitor that misses a crucial action or a robot that misunderstands what a person is doing because it’s never seen that exact interaction before. — Bo Wang, The Conversation, 28 Sep. 2026 Maybe an important meeting is rescheduled at the worst possible time, or perhaps someone misunderstands the context of your conversation. — Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 28 Aug. 2026 Cuban argued that the proposal misunderstands how startup wealth works. — Joshua Hong, Fortune, 17 Aug. 2026 This practice fundamentally misunderstands AI's role, confusing resource consumption with actual performance and business value. — Michael Edmondson, Forbes.com, 4 Aug. 2026 Often in the past intelligence has been equated to technology, but to solely rely on technology as a measure of intelligence misunderstands what intelligence is. — Keith Cooper, Space.com, 27 July 2026 Health policy experts and healthcare associations say that misunderstands the nature of insurance. — Lisa Jarvis, Mercury News, 15 July 2026 That misunderstands both the problem and the legislation itself. — Andy Harris, Baltimore Sun, 4 July 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for misunderstands
  1. misses
  2. misconstrues
  3. misreads
  4. mistakes
  5. misinterprets
Verb
  • Some observers took that as evidence that high gas prices alone wouldn’t push Americans toward fully electric cars, but that conclusion misses half the story.
    — John Paul Helveston, The Conversation, 16 Oct. 2026
  • As co-founder Jennifer Mantz noted, total surprise gifts carry intrinsic risks, often leaving recipients feeling guilty or uncomfortable when an item misses the mark completely.
    — Arthur Zaczkiewicz, Footwear News, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of misses
Verb
  • In granting the President this unbridled authority, the Court upends its precedent, misconstrues our history, and sheds any pretense of judicial modesty.
    — Devin Dwyer, ABC News, 29 June 2026
  • Finally, the policy misconstrues preventative care.
    — Bloomberg Opinion, Twin Cities, 14 Jan. 2026
Definition of misconstrues
Verb
  • The backlash intensified after reports of immigration authorities accessing Flock data, officers abusing the network to stalk women, and misreads that led to innocent people held at gunpoint.
    — Christopher Cann, USA Today, 30 Aug. 2026
  • When an agent misreads it, that interpretation can shape campaigns, seller outreach, budget decisions and workflows across the revenue organization.
    — Kelly Hopping, Forbes.com, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of misreads
Verb
  • But this assessment mistakes the consequences of domination for its causes.
    — Mansoor Moaddel, Foreign Affairs, 15 Oct. 2026
  • Those with pollen allergies can experience oral allergy syndrome, a mild reaction to certain foods that occurs when the immune system mistakes them for pollen.
    — Erica Sloan, Washington Post, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of mistakes
Verb
  • Billie, in turn, misinterprets that line as a message about wanting to open their relationship.
    — Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 2 Sep. 2026
  • The current debate often misinterprets AI's role, focusing too much on job replacement and efficiency.
    — Tim Bajarin, Forbes.com, 4 Aug. 2026
Definition of misinterprets

Browse Nearby Words

misunderstandings
misunderstands
misunderstood
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Cite this Entry

“Misunderstands.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/misunderstands. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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