mistakenly
Americanadverb
-
unintentionally or inadvertently; by mistake.
I may have mistakenly interchanged them without realizing it.
-
in a way that is wrongly conceived, held, or done; incorrectly.
Many people mistakenly believe their PhD will help them land a stable, middle-class job even if they can't get an academic job.
Etymology
Origin of mistakenly
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The condition occurs when the immune system mistakenly attacks the joints, leading to pain, swelling, fatigue, and, over time, permanent joint damage and disability.
From Science Daily • Jun. 1, 2026
Most of the remaining jurors were unaware of the note’s contents, and mistakenly believed that Juror No. 9 had been removed for the slideshow presentation.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 20, 2026
Techniques such as “receiver operating characteristic curve analysis” examine how changing the threshold for an alert alters the balance between correctly identifying real events and mistakenly flagging harmless ones.
From Salon • May 12, 2026
At the same time, building contractors have been quick to remove trees that stand in the way of construction, while debris removal crews have cut down living trees that they mistakenly identified as dead.
From Los Angeles Times • May 7, 2026
When I stop them and run up alongside the team at one point to work on their feet I mistakenly step off the trail and go in up to my armpits.
From "Woodsong" by Gary Paulsen
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
