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Synonyms

misidentify

American  
[mis-ahy-den-tuh-fahy, -i-den-] / ˌmɪs aɪˈdɛn təˌfaɪ, -ɪˈdɛn- /

verb (used with object)

misidentified, misidentifying
  1. to identify incorrectly.


Other Word Forms

Etymology

Origin of misidentify

First recorded in 1890–95; mis- 1 + identify

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.

See Examples For:

To talk about the high cost of housing, however, is to misidentify the problem.

From Slate Nov. 4, 2025

"We've found that many respondents misidentify a warning as a watch, which means conditions are favorable for a tornado," Armstrong said.

From Science Daily May 9, 2024

GAO said it took pains not to misidentify fraud and, if anything, erred on the side of caution, perhaps missing actual fraud.

From Washington Times Sep. 12, 2023

Doa, the former EPA scientist who worked at the agency for three decades, said she had never known the EPA to misidentify a source of pollution in a consent order.

From Salon Aug. 13, 2023

Plus, many people misidentify butterflies, notes Sarabia, so a guide can help you safely spot them.

From Los Angeles Times Jan. 26, 2023

When you get recognized out in public or somebody knows they know you from something, who have you been misidentified as?

From Los Angeles Times May 26, 2026

An earlier version of this report misidentified the titles of Vital Lyfe’s founders.

From MarketWatch May 7, 2026

The tools -- prompted in four languages -- not only misidentified authentic text as AI-generated but also attempted to monetize those errors.

From Barron's Mar. 30, 2026

The images suggest the base was the intended target but raise questions over whether the school was misidentified or accidentally struck.

From The Wall Street Journal Mar. 6, 2026

Then, in the 1980s, local divers stumbled upon it but misidentified it as a Dutch merchant ship.

From "Shipwrecked!" by Martin W. Sandler

The research suggests that the brain may be misidentifying internally generated thoughts as sounds coming from the outside world.

From Science Daily Jan. 23, 2026

“Silver prices fluctuate, but misidentifying items can cost far more than waiting for a slightly better spot price.”

From MarketWatch Dec. 31, 2025

Elon Musk's AI chatbot Grok churned out misinformation about Australia's Bondi Beach mass shooting, misidentifying a key figure who saved lives and falsely claiming that a victim staged his injuries, researchers said Tuesday.

From Barron's Dec. 16, 2025

Couples with "baskets of bottled beer and blankets", children wildly misidentifying pigeons and press photographers resignedly legging it around the grass in an attempt to get their shot all added to the chaos.

From BBC Mar. 2, 2025

She wasn’t getting high on evidence, but she was consistently misidentifying samples, and claimed to have tested substances that she’d never in fact examined.

From Los Angeles Times Mar. 16, 2023

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