by mistake
IdiomsExample Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Based on the true story of a reform school where Black boys went missing, the novel pairs the stories of two teens, one a troublemaker and the other caught up by mistake.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 20, 2026
The NAO said some of the 8,900 cases would include people who were registered as being tagged by mistake.
From BBC ● Jul. 10, 2026
Well, dear reader, I took a break, too—from What’s News—to write about great innovations that were discovered by mistake.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 6, 2026
"No one remained imprisoned by mistake: the people were released," said Morando.
From Barron's ● Mar. 17, 2026
With him, I didn’t have to be afraid, not of what I could do intentionally or by mistake.
From "The Darkest Minds" by Alexandra Bracken
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.
