mistakenly

American  

[mi-stey-kuhn-lee] / mɪˈsteɪ kən li /

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.

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Etymology

Origin of mistakenly

mistaken ( def. ) + -ly

Example Sentences

In February, the FAA aviation authority shut down airspace near El Paso, Texas after the US military mistakenly shot down a government drone with a laser near the Mexican border.

From Barron's

The scope of such policies can be extended, for a price, beyond computer networks to cover real world harm such as AI mistakenly ordering too much inventory for a company.

From Barron's

The Justice Department did redact her name as the sender and receiver in most emails, but mistakenly left it in the body of some messages.

From The Wall Street Journal

Three Air Force F-15E Strike Eagle fighters were mistakenly shot down by a Kuwait F/A-18 aircraft on March 1.

From Salon

According to American media reports, US investigators believe American forces mistakenly hit a school in southern Iran which was located near a military base.

From BBC

Related Words

• erroneously
• falsely