the wrong end of the stick
noun phrase
chiefly British, informal
: an incorrect understanding of something
You've got (hold of) the wrong end of the stick. He didn't push me; I fell.
Examples of the wrong end of the stick in a Sentence
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One is that the Fed has grasped the wrong end of the stick in its battle against high prices.
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Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 10 May 2023
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Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 10 May 2023
Cite this Entry
“The wrong end of the stick.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/the%20wrong%20end%20of%20the%20stick. Accessed 31 Oct. 2025.
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