misunderstanding

[mis-uhn-der-stan-ding]

noun

1. failure to understand correctly; mistake as to meaning or intent.

   Synonyms: misconception, error, misapprehension

2. a disagreement or quarrel.

   Synonyms: dissension, difficulty, difference, discord
   Antonyms: concord

misunderstanding

/ ˌmɪsʌndəˈstændɪŋ /

noun

1. a failure to understand properly

2. a disagreement

Other Word Forms

• misunderstandingly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of misunderstanding¹

First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English; mis- ¹ + understanding

Example Sentences

The ambulance service worker was asked why she had not done that, to which she responded: "I don't know why I didn't... it was an error of misunderstanding."

From BBC

“Madison keeps a very busy schedule and, due to a scheduling misunderstanding, did not appear in court this morning,” they shared.

From Salon

Greco, who previously served as the City Hall Asian Affairs adviser and has been in New York City politics for more than a decade, said the hand-off was a cultural misunderstanding.

From Salon

The piece emphasizes that “artificial intelligence” is fundamentally a marketing term rather than a scientific one, arguing that AI promoters exploit public misunderstanding by anthropomorphizing chatbots and labeling their mistakes as “hallucinations.”

From Los Angeles Times

"We sincerely apologize for any distress or misunderstanding this may have caused," the company said in a statement on Saturday.

From BBC

Related Words

• breach 
• clash 
• conflict 
• difference 
• difficulty 
• disagreement 
• discord 
• dissension 
• feud 
• quarrel 
• rift 
• squabble