mistake

American  

[mi-steyk] / mɪˈsteɪk /

noun

1. an error in action, calculation, opinion, or judgment caused by poor reasoning, carelessness, insufficient knowledge, etc.

   Synonyms:

   oversight, fault, erratum, inaccuracy

2. a misunderstanding or misconception.

   Antonyms:

   understanding

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verb (used with object)

mistook, mistaken, mistaking

1. to regard or identify wrongly as something or someone else.

   I mistook him for the mayor.

2. to understand, interpret, or evaluate wrongly; misunderstand; misinterpret.

   Synonyms:

   err, misjudge, misconceive

verb (used without object)

mistook, mistaken, mistaking

1. to be in error.

idioms

1. and no mistake, for certain; surely.

   He's an honorable person, and no mistake.

mistake British  

/ mɪˈsteɪk /

noun

1. an error or blunder in action, opinion, or judgment

2. a misconception or misunderstanding

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verb

1. (tr) to misunderstand; misinterpret

   she mistook his meaning

2. to take (for), interpret (as), or confuse (with)

   she mistook his direct manner for honesty

3. (tr) to choose badly or incorrectly

   he mistook his path

4. (intr) to make a mistake in action, opinion, judgment, etc

mistake More Idioms  

More idioms and phrases containing mistake

• by mistake
• make no mistake

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Commonly Confused

See misnomer.

Related Words

Mistake, blunder, error, slip refer to deviations from right, accuracy, correctness, or truth. A mistake, grave or trivial, is caused by bad judgment or a disregard of rule or principle: It was a mistake to argue. A blunder is a careless, stupid, or gross mistake in action or speech, suggesting awkwardness, heedlessness, or ignorance: Through his blunder the message was lost. An error (often interchanged with mistake ) is an unintentional wandering or deviation from accuracy, or right conduct: an error in addition. A slip is usually a minor mistake made through haste or carelessness: a slip of the tongue.

Other Word Forms

• mistaker
  noun
• mistakingly
  adverb
• unmistaking
  adjective
• unmistakingly
  adverb

Etymology

Origin of mistake

First recorded in 1300–30; Middle English mistaken (verb), from Old Norse mistaka “to take in error.” see origin at mis- ¹, take

Explanation

A mistake is an error, a goof, a slip-up. When you make a mistake, you've done something incorrectly. Mistake has a lot of uses, but they all have to do with doing the wrong thing. A mistake in math class will result in the wrong answer, but a mistake with a gun could get someone killed. If you mix up two people, you're mistaking one for the other. When you make a mistake, the best thing to do is admit it and try to make up for it; not apologizing for a mistake is another mistake.

Example Sentences

He confessed to the mistake that cost him $500 million, and gave the secrets of building billion-dollar businesses that last.

From MarketWatch • May 6, 2026

“You’ll be reading someone’s Substack or blog post, and all of a sudden in the middle of a perfect paragraph, there’ll be a mistake sitting out there like a sore thumb,” said O’Bryan, 62.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 6, 2026

“When I make a mistake, I’m accountable,” Villaraigosa said at the end of the debate.

From Los Angeles Times • May 6, 2026

"No adversary should mistake our current restraint with a lack of resolve," said Caine, who spoke alongside Hegseth.

From Barron's • May 5, 2026

I said that to my mother, and I knew right away that it was a mistake, because she said, “What scouring powder?” and then, “Beth Bradley, come back here! What scouring powder?”

From "The Best School Year Ever" by Barbara Robinson

Related Words

• aberration
• blunder
• confusion
• fault
• gaffe
• inaccuracy
• lapse
• miscalculation
• misconception
• misstep
• omission
• oversight
• snafu