mistake for

Idioms

Take someone or something for someone or something else, as in I'm sorry, I mistook you for her sister, or Don't mistake that friendly smile for good intentions; he's a tough competitor. [c. 1600]

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:

mistake for

"It would be a mistake for anybody to try to draw definite conclusions just based on the fact that two databases happen to match," Morley told AFP.

From Barron's ● Aug. 20, 2026

In a post on social media, Kyrgios said it was a "huge mistake" for which he takes full responsibility.

From BBC ● Aug. 19, 2026

The first signs of colorectal cancer can be mild, vague, or easy to mistake for common digestive problems.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 22, 2026

Maybe it was a mistake for us to do the things that we’ve done over the last 40 years.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 20, 2026

Sneaky bets me a dollar I can’t eat five slices of pizza, which is a mistake for him, cuz I do it easy.

From "Isaiah Dunn Is My Hero" by Kelly J. Baptist

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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023