mistake

[ mi-steyk ]

/ mɪˈsteɪk /

|||

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR mistake ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

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

a misunderstanding or misconception.

verb (used with object), mis·took, mis·tak·en, mis·tak·ing.

to regard or identify wrongly as something or someone else: I mistook him for the mayor.

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

verb (used without object), mis·took, mis·tak·en, mis·tak·ing.

to be in error.

Nearby words

missus, missy, mist, mist., mistakable, mistake, mistake for, mistaken, mistal, mistassini, mistbow

Idioms

and no mistake, for certain; surely: He's an honorable person, and no mistake.

Origin of mistake

1300–30; Middle English mistaken (v.) < Old Norse mistaka to take in error. See mis-¹, take

SYNONYMS FOR mistake

1 inaccuracy, erratum, fault, oversight. 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.

4 misconceive, misjudge, err.

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR mistake ON THESAURUS.COM

ANTONYMS FOR mistake

2 understanding.

SEE MORE ANTONYMS FOR mistake ON THESAURUS.COM

Related forms

mis·tak·er, nounmis·tak·ing·ly, adverbun·mis·tak·ing, adjectiveun·mis·tak·ing·ly, adverb

Can be confused

misnomer mistake (see confusables note at misnomer)

Confusables note

See misnomer.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for mistake

Scalise has called the talk, which he delivered in a hotel outside New Orleans, “a mistake I regret.”
The Louisiana Racists Who Courted Steve Scalise|Jason Berry|January 3, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Scalise offered his contrition that he had made a mistake and apologized for appearing before a group some 12 years ago.
Reverend Jeremiah Wright Was Worse Than Scalise|Ron Christie|January 2, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Make no mistake: The technology exists—has existed for a long while—to stop this from happening.
Red Tape and Black Boxes: Why We Keep ‘Losing’ Airliners in 2014|Clive Irving|December 29, 2014|DAILY BEAST
I made the mistake of promising one group of guys they could ask me anything if they answered my questions.
The Craziest Date Night for Single Jews, Where Mistletoe Is Ditched for Shots|Emily Shire|December 26, 2014|DAILY BEAST

And make no mistake; they were backed up by sincere religious beliefs.
Do LGBTs Owe Christians an Olive Branch? Try The Other Way Around|Jay Michaelson|December 14, 2014|DAILY BEAST
It is only when he is interfered with by European dictation that he ever vulgarizes his art or makes a mistake.
Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 15, Slice 4|Various
"I hope you have made no mistake, my lad," anxiously said Captain Daly.
Wizard Will|Prentiss Ingraham
It looks to me as though Pretty Sweet was in a bad hole, and no mistake.
The Girls of Central High Aiding the Red Cross|Gertrude W. Morrison
She had never made the mistake of thinking that because his grief was facile it was any the less strong and real.
Why Joan?|Eleanor Mercein Kelly
I have already explained to Lawrence and Basswood that it is a mistake, and that the widow will be paid all that is due her.
Dave Porter and the Runaways|Edward Stratemeyer

British Dictionary definitions for mistake

mistake

/ (mɪˈsteɪk) /

noun

an error or blunder in action, opinion, or judgment

a misconception or misunderstanding

verb -takes, -taking, -took or -taken

(tr) to misunderstand; misinterpretshe mistook his meaning

(tr foll by for) to take (for), interpret (as), or confuse (with)she mistook his direct manner for honesty

(tr) to choose badly or incorrectlyhe mistook his path

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

Derived Forms

mistaker, noun

Word Origin for mistake

C13 (meaning: to do wrong, err): from Old Norse mistaka to take erroneously

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Idioms and Phrases with mistake

mistake

In addition to the idiom beginning with mistake

mistake for

also see:

by mistake
make no mistake