mistakenly

[mi-stey-kuhn-lee]

adverb

1. unintentionally or inadvertently; by mistake.

   I may have mistakenly interchanged them without realizing it.

2. in a way that is wrongly conceived, held, or done; incorrectly.

   Many people mistakenly believe their PhD will help them land a stable, middle-class job even if they can't get an academic job.

Word History and Origins

Origin of mistakenly¹

mistaken ( def. ) + -ly

Example Sentences

The report also noted a rising number of shootings last year in which officers mistakenly believe someone is armed, an increasingly common scenario that has also been cause for recent concern.

From Los Angeles Times

Some people have mistakenly described the fire as a running-crown fire — one of the most destructive kinds — that shoots through the canopies of trees, she said.

From Los Angeles Times

It makes sense, then, how Deen was roped into recording multiple apology videos, which were mistakenly uploaded with little time between each other, only to be quickly yanked from YouTube.

From Salon

He was mistakenly deported to El Salvador in March, and then returned to face criminal charges.

From BBC

An investigation has been launched after a grandfather mistakenly took home the wrong child from a daycare centre in Sydney, Australia.

From BBC

Related Words

• erroneously 
• falsely www.thesaurus.com