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Synonyms

mistaken

American  
[mi-stey-kuhn] / mɪˈsteɪ kən /

adjective

  1. wrongly conceived, held, or done.

    a mistaken antagonism.

    Synonyms:
    inaccurate
  2. erroneous; incorrect; wrong.

    a mistaken answer.

  3. having made a mistake; being in error.


mistaken British  
/ mɪˈsteɪkən /

adjective

  1. (usually predicative) wrong in opinion, judgment, etc

    she is mistaken

  2. arising from error in judgment, opinion, etc

    a mistaken viewpoint

"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

Other Word Forms

  • mistakenly adverb
  • mistakenness noun
  • unmistaken adjective

Etymology

Origin of mistaken

First recorded in 1590–1600; past participle of mistake; -en 3

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.

Politicians who think they’re taking social media cues from U.S. citizens are often mistaken.

From The Wall Street Journal

The condition, which is often mistaken for asthma, involves inflammation and scar tissue build-up in the airway.

From BBC

We see it across modern life: People repeat things they don’t believe, the slogans replace honest conversation, and silence is mistaken for agreement.

From The Wall Street Journal

Getting it right means investors can get in before a pop, but a mistaken call means that their holdings lose value right away.

From Barron's

Ralph Belmonte, a resident of Grange Road for 47 years, said a postman discovered the body on the road after having mistaken it for a dummy strapped to the roof of a driving car.

From BBC