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# misunderstanding

noun (a misunderstanding, misunderstandings); verb form (-ing form of «misunderstand»)

«misunderstanding» in the English dictionary: everyday — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. A failure to understand something correctly: «There was a misunderstanding about the time». [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/misunderstanding/#m1)
2. A small disagreement or argument, often caused by not understanding each other: «We had a little misunderstanding». [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/misunderstanding/#m2)

### In the lessons

In everyday life, many arguments start from a misunderstanding: a text read in the wrong tone, a mixed-up time or place. In friendship lessons, children learn to clear up misunderstandings by asking and listening. In stories, misunderstandings drive funny plots. Phrases: «clear up a misunderstanding», «there's been a misunderstanding», «a misunderstanding about».

### Examples

- There must be a misunderstanding – I said three o'clock, not two. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/misunderstanding/#x1)
- We cleared up the misunderstanding by talking. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/misunderstanding/#x2)
- The whole argument was a misunderstanding. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/misunderstanding/#x3)
- A misunderstanding over the rules ended the game early. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/misunderstanding/#x4)
- Texts can lead to misunderstandings because you can't hear the voice. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/misunderstanding/#x5)
- The comedy is full of misunderstandings and mixed-up identities. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/misunderstanding/#x6)
- «Sorry, I think we had a misunderstanding.» [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/misunderstanding/#x7)
- A misunderstanding in maths: he thought «product» meant add, not multiply. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/misunderstanding/#x8)

### Note

Countable: one misunderstanding, two misunderstandings. Verb: misunderstand (past: misunderstood – irregular). Often a polite word for a small argument. In maths word problems, misunderstanding key words (sum, product, difference, quotient) is a common trap.

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «misunderstanding» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/misunderstanding/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«misunderstanding» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/misunderstanding.html) on Mova free.