mistakenly

[mi-stey-kuhn-lee]

adverb

1. unintentionally or inadvertently; by mistake.

   I may have mistakenly interchanged them without realizing it.

2. 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.

Word History and Origins

Origin of mistakenly¹

mistaken ( def. ) + -ly

Example Sentences

In a couple of places the physical controls get in each others’ way: It’s easy to reach for the leaded-glass gear selector and mistakenly spin the UX selector just above it.

Read more on Wall Street Journal

He was mistakenly deported to El Salvador in March, and then returned to the US where he was detained and charged with human smuggling.

Read more on BBC

Like many others, I had mistakenly believed that “The Five Stages of Grief” in the Kubler-Ross Model were meant for people grieving the loss of a loved one.

Read more on Salon

The report also noted a rising number of shootings last year in which officers mistakenly believe someone is armed, an increasingly common scenario that has also been cause for recent concern.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Some people have mistakenly described the fire as a running-crown fire — one of the most destructive kinds — that shoots through the canopies of trees, she said.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• erroneously 
• falsely www.thesaurus.com