MISTAKE Synonyms: 116 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How does the noun 'mistake' differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of mistake are blunder , error , lapse , and slip . While all these words mean "a departure from what is true, right, or proper," mistake implies misconception or inadvertence and usually expresses less criticism than error . // dialed the wrong number by mistake

Q: Where would 'blunder' be a reasonable alternative to 'mistake'?

The words blunder and mistake can be used in similar contexts, but blunder regularly imputes stupidity or ignorance as a cause and connotes some degree of blame. // diplomatic blunders

Q: When is it sensible to use 'error' instead of 'mistake'?

The synonyms error and mistake are sometimes interchangeable, but error suggests the existence of a standard or guide and a straying from the right course through failure to make effective use of this. // procedural errors

Q: When can 'lapse' be used instead of 'mistake'?

While in some cases nearly identical to mistake , lapse stresses forgetfulness, weakness, or inattention as a cause. // a lapse in judgment

Q: When could 'slip' be used to replace 'mistake'?

The words slip and mistake are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, slip stresses inadvertence or accident and applies especially to trivial but embarrassing mistakes. // a slip of the tongue

mistake 1 of 2

noun

Definition of mistake

as in blunder

a wrong judgment they made a mistake when they thought the young pitcher was ready to be called up to the major leagues

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as in error

an unintentional departure from truth or accuracy made a mistake on the exam that almost cost her a passing grade

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

mistake

2 of 2

verb

mə-ˈstāk

as in to misunderstand

to fail to understand the true or actual meaning of the auctioneer mistook my nod for a bid, and I ended up buying a painting I don't even like

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to underestimate

to make an incorrect judgment regarding you seriously mistake me if you think I scare so easily

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as in to confuse

to fail to differentiate (a thing) from something similar or related she mistook physical attraction for love

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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How does the noun mistake differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of mistake are blunder, error, lapse, and slip. While all these words mean "a departure from what is true, right, or proper," mistake implies misconception or inadvertence and usually expresses less criticism than error.

dialed the wrong number by mistake

Where would blunder be a reasonable alternative to mistake?

The words blunder and mistake can be used in similar contexts, but blunder regularly imputes stupidity or ignorance as a cause and connotes some degree of blame.

diplomatic blunders

When is it sensible to use error instead of mistake?

The synonyms error and mistake are sometimes interchangeable, but error suggests the existence of a standard or guide and a straying from the right course through failure to make effective use of this.

procedural errors

When can lapse be used instead of mistake?

While in some cases nearly identical to mistake, lapse stresses forgetfulness, weakness, or inattention as a cause.

a lapse in judgment

When could slip be used to replace mistake?

The words slip and mistake are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, slip stresses inadvertence or accident and applies especially to trivial but embarrassing mistakes.

a slip of the tongue

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of mistake

Noun

For much of the last century, that rule has held, and the presence of either in daylight has broadly been read as a mistake or a provocation. — Laurence Goldberg, Vogue, 24 Oct. 2026 The mistakes that have been most extreme in Berkshire's history are mistakes of omission. — Alex Crippen, CNBC, 24 Oct. 2026

Verb

Those symptoms were consistent with acrylamide exposure, Suyama said, adding these could easily be mistaken for a neurodegenerative disease. — Eduardo Cuevas, CNN Money, 17 Oct. 2026 Neither algorithms nor their operators should mistake the limits of an existing explanation for the limits of reality. — Pravir Malik, Forbes.com, 16 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for mistake

Recent Examples of Synonyms for mistake

Noun

Burks said that leadership blunders are at the problem’s crux.

— Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 24 Oct. 2026
Soon-to-be Cy Young Award winner Jacob Misiorowski held the Rays to just one run in his five innings, but certainly not without the help of some Rays baserunning blunders.

— Ryan Morik OutKick, FOXNews.com, 24 Oct. 2026

Definition of blunder

Verb

My next question was going to be what do people who haven’t been on a college campus in a while tend to misunderstand about the party scene, and that pandemic shift seems like an answer to that.

— Rachel Cohen Booth, Vox, 23 Oct. 2026
If there was any worry that Sühlmann would misunderstand the brand, it was dispelled the moment the Mission S was unveiled.

— Bryan Hood, Robb Report, 23 Oct. 2026

Definition of misunderstand

Verb

Party host prep school A common host mistake is underestimating the time needed to clean, cook, decorate and set up, Jokilehto said.

— Kristen Rogers, CNN Money, 26 Oct. 2026
Don’t underestimate the value of a quarterback who can torment defenses with his legs - something not seen ‘round these parts during the Tua Tagovailoa era.

— Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 26 Oct. 2026

Definition of underestimate

Verb

But the other Sullivan has said the decision to run was his own and denied his candidacy was intended to confuse voters or siphon votes in Republican Sullivan's tight race against Democrat Mary Peltola, a former congresswoman.

— Willem Marx, NPR, 25 Oct. 2026
Christina Applegate’s recent revelation that she was misdiagnosed with multiple sclerosis is raising questions about how the disease can be confused with other conditions even after years of treatment.

— Melissa Rudy, FOXNews.com, 24 Oct. 2026

Definition of confuse

Noun

The misjudgment meant the plane clipped a peak and crashed into a valley.

— Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 8 Oct. 2026
There, the discovery of a spacecraft and additional extraterrestrials transforms their chase into a simple struggle for survival, as what began as a series of understandable misjudgments spirals into a tragedy of cosmic scale.

— Patrick Brzeski, HollywoodReporter, 16 Sep. 2026

Definition of misjudgment

Verb

Last month, Pennsylvania’s Public Utility Commission reported that the largest grid in the country will miss its reliability standard starting next year.

— Neil Chatterjee, Fortune, 23 Oct. 2026
Not only were LaMelo Ball and Miles Bridges absent after high-profile summertime trades, but returnees Kon Knueppel and Coby White were also missing because of injury.

— Scott Fowler, Charlotte Observer, 22 Oct. 2026

Definition of miss

Verb

Some have misjudged the strength of the surface mat, stepping in the wrong place or breaking through into the cold water below.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 16 Oct. 2026
Notable Nigerian President Bola Tinubu made the case for an African rating agency, arguing that the Big Three misjudge African risk and that a homegrown agency could spot progress early, which the global firms would later confirm.

— Tiisetso Motsoeneng, semafor.com, 7 Oct. 2026

Definition of misjudge

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mistake

mistaken

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Style

“Mistake.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mistake. Accessed 28 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of mistake

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verb

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