misunderstand

verb

Synonyms and Antonyms of MISUNDERSTAND

to fail to understand the true or actual meaning of <you misunderstood that poem because you took everything so literally>

Synonyms misapprehend, misconstrue, misinterpret, misknow, misperceive, misread, miss, mistake

Related Words misconceive, misdeem, misjudge; mishear

Antonyms appreciate, apprehend, catch, comprehend, conceive, fathom, get, grasp, grok, know, make out, penetrate, perceive, savvy, see, seize, take in, understand

What made you want to look up misunderstand? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).

Put-downs with flair

How to use a word that (literally) drives some people nuts.

Test your vocab with our fun, fast game

Ailurophobia, and 9 other unusual fears