If you misinterpret something, you understand it wrongly. He was amazed that he'd misinterpreted the situation so completely = misread + misinterpretation misinterpretations mis·in·ter·pre·ta·tion a misinterpretation of the aims and ends of socialism. to not understand the correct meaning of something that someone says or does, or of facts that you are considering = misread, misconstrue misconstrue