a false understanding

USAGE SUMMARY

"a false understanding" is a perfectly correct and usable phrase in written English.
It is used to indicate when someone is misinformed or has misinterpreted a situation. For example, "Jill had a false understanding about what had happened, and was completely wrong in her assumption."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

22 human-written examples

Our observation was that these pastors do not understand the benefits of immunization, and thus instil in their followers a false understanding of vaccination, which they consider to be "something evil, a satanic practice aimed at leading the faithful away from the right path".

BMC International Health and Human Rights

So we have a false understanding of what Bellini did".

The Guardian - Music

This, too, is based on a false understanding of causation.

Britannica

No one has a false understanding of the situation.

The New York Times

At the same time, growing up in the capital did lull me into a false understanding of the UK's ethnic make-up.

The Guardian - Opinion

The forgery presents a false understanding of the work of an artist or an ancient culture, one which has been perverted in its modern translation.

Britannica

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

38 human-written examples

This is a nice sentiment, but it's built on an entirely false understanding of the ways things work, one I saw again and again during my time in admissions consulting: There already is a separate system of the wealthy.

The Washington Post

Here, we compared correct (N = 425) with incorrect or false positive solutions (N = 83) without hint to investigate if there are any differences between the neural processes leading to a correct solution (and thus a true deeper understanding of the solution) and an incorrect solution (and thus a false positive understanding of the problem and its solution).

Plosone

Free text clinical comments included apprehension regarding potential "false understanding" created by translation aids, a suggestion for incorporation of phonetic texts in the instrument, and an expression of dissatisfaction with the suggestion of acquiring language skills to accommodate non-English-speaking patients without their own interpreter.

International Journal of Emergency Medicine

Giving guidance to our girls by saying things like "that's a man's job" provides them with the false understanding that their dreams, goals and desires are limited to those that have been predetermined for them as a female.

Huffington Post

He suggested Mr Qureshi spend more attention on "the false understanding" Isis supporters have of Islam.

Independent

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "a false understanding", ensure the context clearly indicates what the correct understanding should be, providing a contrast that highlights the error.

Common error

Avoid assuming your audience automatically knows the truth when pointing out "a false understanding". Explicitly state or imply the accurate perspective to avoid further confusion.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a false understanding" functions as a noun phrase, typically serving as the object of a verb or preposition. It identifies a state of incorrect or inaccurate comprehension. Ludwig AI confirms that this is a standard and accepted usage.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

40%

Science

35%

Encyclopedias

15%

Less common in

Wiki

5%

Formal & Business

5%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "a false understanding" is a grammatically sound and commonly used phrase to denote a misconception or incorrect belief. Ludwig AI supports this. While not as frequent as simpler terms like "misunderstanding", it carries a stronger connotation of being demonstrably wrong. Its usage spans diverse fields from news and media to scientific research. When employing this phrase, ensure the accurate perspective is clearly presented to avoid ambiguity. Alternatives such as "a flawed perception" or "a misconception" can offer subtle shifts in emphasis.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a flawed perception

Replaces "understanding" with "perception", emphasizing the incorrect way something is viewed or interpreted.

an incorrect interpretation

Substitutes "understanding" with "interpretation", highlighting the wrong way something is explained or understood.

a mistaken belief

Uses "belief" instead of "understanding", focusing on the acceptance of something untrue.

a misconception

Replaces the entire phrase with a single word that means an incorrect understanding or belief.

a distorted view

Changes "understanding" to "view", emphasizing how something has been misrepresented or twisted.

an inaccurate grasp

Uses "grasp" instead of "understanding", focusing on the inability to properly comprehend something.

a misguided notion

Substitutes "understanding" with "notion", suggesting a foolish or ill-conceived idea.

an erroneous impression

Replaces "understanding" with "impression", emphasizing a mistaken feeling or idea.

a deceptive sense

Focuses on the misleading nature of the understanding, implying it leads to being deceived.

a superficial knowledge

Highlights the lack of depth in the understanding, indicating it's not thorough or complete.

FAQs

How can I use "a false understanding" in a sentence?

You can use "a false understanding" to describe a misconception or incorrect belief someone holds. For example, "His actions were based on a false understanding of the company's policies."

What are some alternatives to "a false understanding"?

Alternatives include "a flawed perception", "a misconception", or "an incorrect interpretation", depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is it better to say "false understanding" or "misunderstanding"?

"Misunderstanding" generally implies an innocent or unintentional failure to understand, while "a false understanding" suggests a more significant error or a belief that is demonstrably wrong. The choice depends on the context.

What's the difference between "a false understanding" and "a flawed understanding"?

"A flawed understanding" ("a flawed understanding") suggests an understanding that is incomplete or has some inaccuracies, while "a false understanding" implies the entire understanding is based on incorrect information.