Related Words for bark up the wrong tree

Compiled automatically from published text to show words that appear in related contexts. Read More Results may indicate historical usage, and do not reflect the views of Merriam-Webster. Send us feedback.
WordSyllablesCategories
rub up the wrong way
//x//
Phrase, Verb
lead someone up the garden path
//x/x/x/
Phrase, Verb
overstep the mark
/xxx/
Phrase, Verb
miss the mark
/x/
Name, Verb
run afoul of
/x//
Phrase, Verb
beat around the bush
/x/x/
Phrase, Verb
put a foot wrong
/x//
Phrase, Verb
slip up
//
Phrase, Verb
cut corners
//x
Phrase, Verb
make a mountain out of a molehill
/x/x//x/x
Phrase, Verb
miss the forest for the trees
/x/x/x/
Name, Verb
put the cart before the horse
/x/x/x/
Phrase, Verb
put up to
///
Phrase, Verb
bite off more than one can chew
/////x/
Phrase, Verb
start off on the wrong foot
///x//
Phrase, Verb
fall into the wrong hands
/x/x//
Phrase, Verb
fool around
/x/
Phrase, Verb
carry on
/x/
Phrase, Verb
overstep the line
/xxx/
Phrase, Verb
cross the line
/x/
Phrase, Verb
call on
//
Phrase, Verb
pass the buck
/x/
Phrase, Verb
get off on the wrong foot
///x//
Phrase, Verb
grasp at straws
///
Phrase, Verb
play up
//
Phrase, Verb
take for
//
Phrase, Verb
cut down
//
Phrase, Verb, Adjective
lose the plot
/xx
Phrase, Verb
beat about the bush
/x/x/
Phrase, Verb
die on the vine
//x/
Phrase, Verb
give someone the runaround
//xx/xx
Phrase, Verb
know better
//x
Phrase, Verb
blow smoke
//
Phrase, Verb
fall for
//
Phrase, Verb
get out of bed on the wrong side
/////x//
Phrase, Verb
step out of line
////
Phrase, Verb
run wild
//
Name, Verb
bend the truth
/x/
Phrase, Verb
take to task
///
Phrase, Verb
lead nowhere
//x
Phrase, Verb
hit out
//
Phrase, Verb
bite off
//
Phrase, Verb
trump up
//
Phrase, Verb
point the finger at
/x/x/
Phrase, Verb
turn over a new leaf
//xx//
Phrase, Verb
drop the ball
/x/
Phrase, Verb
paint oneself into a corner
/x/x/x/x
Phrase, Verb
play the fool
/x/
Phrase, Verb
cry wolf
//
Phrase, Verb
act the fool
/x/
Phrase, Verb
move the goalposts
/x/x
Phrase, Verb
fool with
//
Phrase, Verb
make a nuisance of oneself
/x/x/x/
Phrase, Verb
fall off the wagon
//x/x
Phrase, Verb
live a lie
/x/
Phrase, Verb
fall between the cracks
/x/x/
Phrase, Verb
miss the boat
/x/
Name, Verb
shoot the messenger
/x/xx
Phrase, Verb
bear fruit
//
Phrase, Verb
shoot oneself in the foot
/x/xx/
Phrase, Verb
pull a fast one
/x//
Phrase, Verb
hit the nail on the head
/x//x/
Phrase, Verb
run with
//
Phrase, Verb
abe
/
Name, Verb
aberrant
x/x
Adjective, Noun
abnormal
x/x
Adjective, Noun
absurd
x/
Adjective, Noun
abuse
x/
Noun, Verb
abusive
x/x
Adjective
acacia
x/x
Noun
acting
/x
Noun, Adjective
adverse
x/
Adjective
affront
x/
Noun, Verb
ahead
x/
Adverb
alder
/x
Noun
amiss
x/
Adjective, Adverb, Noun
anomalous
x/xx
Adjective
anomaly
x/xx
Noun
apple
/x
Noun, Verb
appropriate
x/xx
Adjective, Verb
arbor
/x
Name
aright
xx
Adverb, Verb
around
x/
Adverb, Adjective
ascending
x/x
Adjective, Noun
ash
/
Noun, Verb
askew
x/
Noun, Adverb, Adjective
australian nettle tree
x/x/x/
Name, Name
awake
x/
Adjective, Verb
awful
/x
Adjective, Adverb
awry
x/
Adverb, Adjective
bad
/
Adjective, Adverb, Noun, Verb
badly
/x
Adverb, Adjective
balsam
/x
Noun, Verb
bamboo
x/
Noun, Adjective, Verb
bangs
/
Noun
barely
/x
Adverb
barge
/
Noun, Verb
barked
/
Adjective
barker
/x
Name
barque
x
Noun
base
/
Noun, Verb, Adjective
bast
/
Noun
bay
/
Noun, Verb, Adjective
beech
/
Noun
beetle
/x
Noun, Verb, Adjective
behavior
x/x
Noun
benchmarking
/xx
Noun
berry
/x
Noun, Verb
better
/x
Adjective, Noun, Verb
birch
/
Noun, Verb
bird
/
Noun, Verb, Adjective
biscuit
/x
Noun
bite
/
Noun, Verb
blackwood
/x
Name
boat
/
Noun, Verb
bogus
/x
Adjective, Noun
bole
/
Noun
bonsai
x/
Noun, Verb
boom
/
Noun, Verb
bottomed
/x
Adjective
brain
/
Noun, Verb
bramble
/x
Noun, Verb
branch
/
Noun, Verb
brazilian pepper tree
x/x/x/
Phrase, Noun
bum
/
Noun, Verb, Adjective
burl
/
Noun, Verb
bursts
/
Noun, Verb
bush
/
Noun, Verb, Adverb, Adjective
cabin
/x
Noun, Verb
calabash
xx/
Noun
cambium
/xx
Noun
camshaft
/x
Noun
cassia
/xx
Noun
cat
/
Noun, Verb, Adjective
cedar
/x
Noun
chalk
/
Noun, Verb
chart
/
Noun, Verb
cheated
/x
Adjective
cheesy
/x
Adjective
chestnut
/x
Noun, Adjective
chinese parasol tree
x//xx/
Name, Name
christmas tree
/x/
Name, Name
cinchona
//x
Noun
cinnamon
/xx
Noun, Adjective
climb
/
Verb, Noun
clump
/
Noun, Verb
coat
/
Noun, Verb
cobb
/
Name
coconut
/xx
Noun
coffee
/x
Noun, Adjective, Verb
commonsensical
xx/xx
Adjective
compensate
/xx
Verb
conifer
/xx
Noun
considered
x/x
Adjective
contrary
/xx
Noun, Adjective, Adverb, Verb
cork
/
Noun, Verb, Adjective
corner
/x
Noun, Verb
correct
x/
Adjective, Verb, Noun
corrugated
/xxx
Adjective
cortex
/x
Noun
cottonwood
/xx
Noun
counterfeit
/xx
Adjective, Noun, Verb
country
/x
Noun, Adjective
course
/
Noun, Verb, Adverb
crappy
/x
Adjective
crazy
/x
Adjective, Adverb, Noun
crime
/
Noun, Verb
criminal
/xx
Adjective, Noun
crooked
/x
Adjective
crown
/
Noun, Adjective, Verb
crummy
/x
Adjective, Noun
crust
/
Noun, Verb
cut
/
Verb, Noun, Adjective
cypress
/x
Noun
dak
/
Noun, Verb
damage
/x
Noun, Verb
defective
x/x
Adjective, Adverb, Noun
deficient
x/x
Adjective, Noun
definite
/xx
Adjective, Noun
deplorable
x/xx
Adjective, Noun
dereliction
xx/x
Noun
detrimental
xx/x
Adjective, Noun