Miscommunication: meaning, definitions and examples

💬
Add to dictionary

miscommunication

 

[ ˌmɪskəˌmjuːnɪˈkeɪʃən ]

Noun
Context #1 | Noun

in workplace

A failure to communicate clearly, resulting in confusion or misunderstanding.

Synonyms

confusion, misunderstanding, mix-up

Examples of usage

  • There was a miscommunication between the departments, leading to delays in the project.
  • The miscommunication about the meeting time caused half of the team to miss it.
Context #2 | Noun

in relationships

A breakdown in communication that leads to disagreements or conflicts.

Synonyms

conflict, disagreement, misunderstanding

Examples of usage

  • The miscommunication between the couple escalated into a major argument.
  • Clearing up the miscommunication helped to strengthen their relationship.

Translations

Translations of the word "miscommunication" in other languages:

🇵🇹 falha de comunicação

🇮🇳 संचार में गड़बड़ी

🇩🇪 Misskommunikation

🇮🇩 kesalahan komunikasi

🇺🇦 непорозуміння

🇵🇱 nieporozumienie

🇯🇵 誤解

🇫🇷 mauvaise communication

🇪🇸 mala comunicación

🇹🇷 iletişim hatası

🇰🇷 의사소통 장애

🇸🇦 سوء تواصل

🇨🇿 nedorozumění

🇸🇰 nedorozumenie

🇨🇳 沟通不畅

🇸🇮 nesporazum

🇮🇸 misskilningur

🇰🇿 түсініспеушілік

🇬🇪 არასწორი კომუნიკაცია

🇦🇿 ünsiyyətsizlik

🇲🇽 mala comunicación

Etymology

The word 'miscommunication' is a compound of the prefix 'mis-' meaning 'badly, wrongly' and the noun 'communication'. It first appeared in the mid-20th century, reflecting the increasing importance of effective communication in various aspects of life, especially in the workplace and relationships. The term highlights the negative impact that unclear or inadequate communication can have on individuals and organizations.

See also: communicable, communicated, communicating, communication, communicative, communicator, telecommunication, telecommunications, uncommunicative, uncommunicatively.