MISTAKE Definition & Meaning

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mistake

[mi-steyk]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

noun

an error in action, calculation, opinion, or judgment caused by poor reasoning, carelessness, insufficient knowledge, etc.
Synonyms: , , ,
a misunderstanding or misconception.
Antonyms:

verb (used with object)

mistook, mistaken, mistaking.

to regard or identify wrongly as something or someone else.
I mistook him for the mayor.
to understand, interpret, or evaluate wrongly; misunderstand; misinterpret.
Synonyms: , ,

verb (used without object)

mistook, mistaken, mistaking.

to be in error.

mistake

/ ��ɪˈ��ٱ�ɪ�� /

noun

an error or blunder in action, opinion, or judgment
a misconception or misunderstanding

verb

(tr) to misunderstand; misinterpret
she mistook his meaning
to take (for), interpret (as), or confuse (with)
she mistook his direct manner for honesty
(tr) to choose badly or incorrectly
he mistook his path
(intr) to make a mistake in action, opinion, judgment, etc

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Confusables Note

See misnomer.

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Other 51�Թ� Forms

mistaker noun
mistakingly adverb
unmistaking adjective
unmistakingly adverb
��ˈ�ٲ�� noun

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51�Թ� History and Origins

Origin of mistake¹

First recorded in 1300–30; Middle English mistaken (verb), from Old Norse mistaka “to take in error.” mis- ¹, take

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51�Թ� History and Origins

Origin of mistake¹

C13 (meaning: to do wrong, err): from Old Norse mistaka to take erroneously

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Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

and no mistake, for certain; surely.
He's an honorable person, and no mistake.

In addition to the idiom beginning with mistake, also see by mistake; make no mistake.

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Synonym Study

Mistake, blunder, error, slip refer to deviations from right, accuracy, correctness, or truth. A mistake, grave or trivial, is caused by bad judgment or a disregard of rule or principle: It was a mistake to argue. A blunder is a careless, stupid, or gross mistake in action or speech, suggesting awkwardness, heedlessness, or ignorance: Through his blunder the message was lost. An error (often interchanged with mistake ) is an unintentional wandering or deviation from accuracy, or right conduct: an error in addition. A slip is usually a minor mistake made through haste or carelessness: a slip of the tongue.

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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

“We have to have a robust strength of morals, value sticking up for those less fortunate — that's why I think it's a mistake to focus just on economics and allow trans children to get bullied.”

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Iran's foreign minister had warned European powers earlier this week that backing the motion would be a mistake and that it would react strongly.

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United's captain rarely makes a mistake from 12 yards, scoring 38 of 42 spot-kicks since joining, excluding shootouts.

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She had been mistaken for the then-wife of media mogul Rupert Murdoch and abducted from her London home on 29 December 1969.

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Make no mistake: the Trump administration is the instigator here, and not just because they sent ICE in to start nabbing people willy-nilly.

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Related 51�Թ�s

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blunder��
confusion��
fault��
gaffe��
inaccuracy��
lapse��
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misconception��
misstep��
omission��
oversight��
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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

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