mistakenly

American  

[mi-stey-kuhn-lee] / mɪˈsteɪ kən li /

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.

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Etymology

Origin of mistakenly

mistaken ( def. ) + -ly

Example Sentences

Coltherd said he knew of other people who had placed bets, including one person who meant to put £5 on Changemyluck but mistakenly backed the winner.

From BBC • Apr. 3, 2026

But “tourist” investors may be unaware and mistakenly expect big returns in just a few years, he added.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 31, 2026

She claimed that she was mistakenly under the impression that her case would then be sent to appeal and noted that she has the documented verbal comprehension of a second-grader.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 31, 2026

Nguyen observes that the premium valuation tech behemoths enjoy could persist for a while but that investors always mistakenly assume top dogs in a given field will stay that way.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 17, 2026

Auntie had always been careful that Rocky didn’t call Tayo “brother,” and when other people mistakenly called them brothers, she was quick to correct the error.

From "Ceremony:" by Leslie Marmon Silko

Related Words

• erroneously
• falsely