CEFR B1

misunderstood

verb (past participle), adjective

Meaning

Incorrectly interpreted or comprehended; having one's words or actions taken in a way not intended.

Examples

Her quietness was often misunderstood as rudeness, when in fact she was just shy.
The artist felt his abstract work was frequently misunderstood by the general public.

Synonyms: mistaken, misinterpreted, misconstrued, misapprehended

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misunderstood (B1)

verb (past participle), adjective

Pronunciation: /ˌmɪsʌndərˈstʊd/

Definition

Incorrectly interpreted or comprehended; having one's words or actions taken in a way not intended.

Examples

Her quietness was often misunderstood as rudeness, when in fact she was just shy.
The artist felt his abstract work was frequently misunderstood by the general public.
Due to the poor connection, a crucial part of the message was misunderstood.

How to Use misunderstood

to be misunderstood (collocation): to have one's intentions or words incorrectly interpreted by others — "He often felt he was misunderstood by his parents."
misunderstood genius (collocation): a person of great intellect whose ideas are not appreciated or comprehended by their contemporaries — "Many artists are considered misunderstood geniuses in their lifetime."

Synonyms of misunderstood

Words with a similar meaning to misunderstood:

Antonyms of misunderstood

Words with the opposite meaning to misunderstood:

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