mistake for

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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]

QUIZ

WILL YOU SAIL OR STUMBLE ON THESE GRAMMAR QUESTIONS?

Smoothly step over to these common grammar mistakes that trip many people up. Good luck!

Question 1 of 7

Fill in the blank: I can’t figure out _____ gave me this gift.

who

whom

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Words nearby mistake for

missus, missy, mist, mistakable, mistake, mistake for, mistaken, mistakenly, mistal, Mistassini, mistbow

How to use mistake for in a sentence

This time it would be the biggest mistake for the Western press to repeat that—absolutely the biggest mistake.
Ayaan Hirsi Ali: Our Duty Is to Keep Charlie Hebdo Alive|Ayaan Hirsi Ali|January 8, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Sands was involved in a scandalous-for-the-time romance with the carpenter and there were rumors she was pregnant with his child.
New York’s Most Tragic Ghost Loves Minimalist Swedish Fashion|Nina Strochlic|January 8, 2015|DAILY BEAST
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

There was no mistaking this for the gaudiness and gilt of made-for-TV awards shows.
Streetwear pioneer, visionary entrepreneur, and community mentor Daymond John is honored with Hennessy Privilege Award|Hennessy|January 1, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Instead of giving you a chance to say, "He has made a mistake," he forced you to say, "He has shown how to get out of a mistake."
Music-Study in Germany|Amy Fay
My mother now tells me that she knew of this mistake, an error of the New York paper in copying the item from a Southern journal.
The Boarded-Up House|Augusta Huiell Seaman
I must make no mistake, and blunder into a national type of features, all wrong; if I make your mask, it must do us credit.
Checkmate|Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu
The result of this stock-taking shows that eleven volumes were unaccounted-for, a list of which is appended.
Report of the Chief Librarian for the Year 1924-25|General Assembly Library (New Zealand)
At this stock-taking the number unaccounted-for is twenty-two, several of which are quite recent accessions to the Library.
Report of the Chief Librarian for the Year 1924-25|General Assembly Library (New Zealand)