Misunderstand
/ˌmɪsʌndərˈstænd/
Meaning & Definition
verb
To interpret or understand incorrectly.
I think you misunderstand my intentions; I only wanted to help.
To fail to grasp the meaning or importance of something.
She misunderstood the instructions and ended up doing it wrong.
To take something in a way that does not reflect its true meaning.
He misunderstood my comment as a criticism when it was actually a compliment.
To have a wrong or false impression about someone or something.
They misunderstood the situation, thinking it was more serious than it actually was.
To interpret incorrectly due to lack of clarity or context.
It's easy to misunderstand someone when they are not expressing their thoughts clearly.
Etymology
From the prefix 'mis-' meaning wrongly and 'understand' from Old English 'understandan'.
Common Phrases and Expressions
misunderstood intentions
A situation where someone's true motives or feelings are not perceived correctly.
to be misread
To be interpreted incorrectly, often in context of emotions.
lost in translation
When something is misunderstood due to language or cultural differences.
Related Words
understand
To grasp the meaning, significance, or nature of something.
interpret
To explain the meaning of something.
clarify
To make a statement or situation less confused and more comprehensible.
Slang Meanings
Miss the boat
I totally missed the boat on that one; I thought it was next week.
Get it twisted
Don't get it twisted! I didn't mean it that way.