off the mark

Idioms  

1. Also, wide of the mark. Inaccurate, wrong, as in The forecast was off the mark, since unemployment is down, or His answers on the test were just wide of the mark. It is also put as miss the mark, meaning “be mistaken,” as in The minister missed the mark when he assumed everyone would contribute to the supper. All these terms allude to mark in the sense of “a target,” as do the antonyms on the mark and hit the mark, meaning “exactly right,” as in He was right on the mark with that budget amendment, or Bill hit the mark when he accused Tom of lying. [Mid-1300s]

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Example Sentences

Consensus expectations in late 2007 of 16% were way off the mark.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 30, 2026

Even several of his completed passes were slightly off the mark, forcing teammates to reach for the ball.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 25, 2026

In some cases, the fish attempted to rub off the mark within the first hour of seeing a mirror.

From Science Daily • Feb. 23, 2026

The problem is that seasonal hiring patterns have been altered by the pandemic, and sometimes the adjustments are off the mark.

From MarketWatch • Feb. 8, 2026

When I told him he was not so far off the mark, he continued: 'Now I got it.

From "The Remains of the Day" by Kazuo Ishiguro

Related Words

• bogus
• deceitful
• dishonest
• distorted
• erroneous
• fake
• fanciful
• faulty
• fictitious
• fraudulent
• improper
• inaccurate
• incorrect
• invalid
• misleading
• mistaken
• phony
• specious
• spurious
• unfounded