mistaken
Americanadjective
-
wrongly conceived, held, or done.
a mistaken antagonism.
- Synonyms:
- inaccurate
-
a mistaken answer.
-
having made a mistake; being in error.
adjective
-
(usually predicative) wrong in opinion, judgment, etc
she is mistaken
-
arising from error in judgment, opinion, etc
a mistaken viewpoint
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of mistaken
First recorded in 1590–1600; past participle of mistake; see -en 3
Explanation
Someone who's mistaken is confused or wrong about something. If you think your guidance counselor is mistaken about what you should do with your life, you will probably ignore his advice. If you see a car speeding through town, you might assume the driver is a teenager — but you'd be mistaken if the car is actually driven by an elderly lady. You also might believe someone else is mistaken if their opinion seems wrong to you: "You think strawberry ice cream is better than chocolate, but you're mistaken." Mistaken comes from mistake, from its Old Norse root mistaka, "take in error."
Vocabulary lists containing mistaken
Way Off: Synonyms for "Wrong"
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"Fear" and "Violence Hits Home"
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Power Suffix: -en
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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.
My research had shown me that was egregiously mistaken.
From Salon • Jun. 8, 2026
Wall Street is mistaken to insist that the bull market can’t be in danger because corporate earnings are growing fast.
From MarketWatch • May 26, 2026
I don’t get mistaken for an actual person, but I do love the moment where you pass them on the sidewalk or on the subway and you see the wheels churning in their mind.
From Los Angeles Times • May 26, 2026
He’s arrested, based on the mistaken account of a witness, but soon released.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 22, 2026
A wallet could be mistaken for a gun.
From "The New Jim Crow" by Michelle Alexander
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
