misunderstand

3 definitions • 4 examples

to think you have understood someone or something when you have not:

If you think that these transport problems can be solved by building more roads, you completely misunderstand the nature of the problem.

I told him I'd meet him here, but perhaps he misunderstood and went straight to the restaurant.

If someone is misunderstood, other people do not understand that they have good qualities:

In her teens she felt frustrated and misunderstood.

to fail to understand something or someone:

[ T ] I think she misunderstood what I meant.