misunderstandings

noun

plural of misunderstanding
1
as in misinterpretations
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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in disagreements
an often noisy or angry expression of differing opinions tried to resolve their misunderstandings peacefully

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 misunderstandings Clear, descriptive communication with your doctor helps prevent those misunderstandings. — Jason Phillips, Ascend Agency, 24 Aug. 2026 This is also a good season to clean up any recurring misunderstandings. — Tarot.com, Baltimore Sun, 22 Aug. 2026 Questions provide that feedback immediately, allowing managers to clarify, adapt or deepen the discussion before misunderstandings become decisions. — Chiara Alzati, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2026 App makers also advise against confrontation and accept no liability for false positives or misunderstandings. — Ashley Belanger, ArsTechnica, 21 Aug. 2026 Turkey and Israel began technical talks in Azerbaijan in 2025 aimed at preventing misunderstandings or military incidents in Syria. — Efrat Lachter, FOXNews.com, 20 Aug. 2026 As in much of Europe, tourism is a sensitive subject, so knowing the unwritten rules (and even a bit of the local language, Euskera) will help avoid misunderstandings and unlock the city’s joyful, trademark love of the table. — Marti Buckley, Condé Nast Traveler, 3 Aug. 2026 But too many mixed signals can throw off an opponent’s risk calculus, giving rise to misunderstandings that can produce or worsen a crisis. — Erik Lin-Greenberg, Foreign Affairs, 31 July 2026 According to The Gottman Institute, talking through these expectations in advance helps couples build a stronger foundation and sidestep the misunderstandings that tend to surface a few weeks after moving in. — Ashley Lynch, Sacbee.com, 29 July 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for misunderstandings
  1. misinterpretations
  2. disagreements
  3. mistakes
  4. disputes
  5. misapprehensions
  6. quarrels
  7. altercations
  8. controversies
Noun
  • The researchers say the inability of LLMs to provide the correct location is an inherent flaw that arises from training biases or from misinterpretations of instructions within the current context.
    — Dan Goodin, ArsTechnica, 8 July 2026
  • An agent can’t reliably detect its own misinterpretations using the same model that generated them.
    — Stu Sjouwerman, Forbes.com, 25 June 2026
Definition of misinterpretations
Noun
  • His first job out of law school was as a judge’s clerk at the Court of Appeal of New Zealand, giving him a front-row seat to consequential decisions—and to people who could disagree fiercely without letting those disagreements become personal.
    — Preston Fore, Fortune, 29 Aug. 2026
  • And, despite trade disagreements, visitors can still get cheddar and bacon soup and filet mignon from the Canada pavilion.
    — Dewayne Bevil, The Orlando Sentinel, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of disagreements
Noun
  • The Tar Heels’ ability to overcome some sloppiness — and, yes, take advantage of a slew of TCU mistakes — was a positive intangible sign after Belichick’s brutal debut season and offseason.
    — Stewart Mandel, New York Times, 30 Aug. 2026
  • Notice that this entire process still leans on AI to catch AI's mistakes.
    — Ted Ladd, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of mistakes
Noun
  • Miller has previously been at the center of ABS disputes while serving as crew chief for Reds games.
    — Chantz Martin OutKick, FOXNews.com, 29 Aug. 2026
  • An e-bike ban at Newport Beach schools has sparked disputes between students and neighbors over kids parking in their neighborhoods.
    — Michele Gile, CBS News, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of disputes
Noun
  • Meanwhile, the New Atheists were making hay of the fact that such faithful misapprehensions about nature were easily disproved by scientific discovery.
    — Elizabeth Bruenig, The Atlantic, 26 Mar. 2026
  • Ronald Reagan did not suffer from such misapprehensions.
    — Gordon G. Chang, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Dec. 2025
Definition of misapprehensions
Noun
  • On the new series, some House of Stassi castmembers raised their quarrels with Maloney joining their cast.
    — McKinley Franklin, HollywoodReporter, 8 Aug. 2026
  • Candi is the family mediator Like any father-daughter coaching dynamic, Corey and Coco have had their fair share of quarrels on the tennis court.
    — Emily Weaver, PEOPLE, 9 July 2026
Definition of quarrels
Noun
  • Simple assault are altercations and incidents that don’t involve weapons or serious injuries, including domestic incidents.
    — Carolyn Stein, Chicago Tribune, 6 Aug. 2026
  • In court filings, ex-wife Emily Moreno alleged that Miller has repeatedly had physical and verbal altercations with her attorney, Andrew Zashin, after recent court hearings in an ongoing custody battle.
    — Jacob Rosen, CBS News, 31 July 2026
Definition of altercations
Noun
  • None of this requires a return to the controversies of corporate activism of the early 2020s.
    — Scott M. Curran, Fortune, 26 Aug. 2026
  • Unfortunately, the recent controversies around images of Ariana Grande and other actresses have made this argument less binary.
    — Marti Noxon, HollywoodReporter, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of controversies

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misunderstandings
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Cite this Entry

“Misunderstandings.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/misunderstandings. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

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