1
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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2
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
1
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
2
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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3
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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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of mistake
Scott Haugen, Outdoor Life, 13 Aug. 2025
The incident is illustrative of something experts have long feared in the contentious South China Sea; one mistake by one captain or pilot could lead to a superpower military confrontation.
—Brad Lendon, CNN Money, 12 Aug. 2025
Mirjam Swanson, Oc Register, 5 Aug. 2025
No items that resemble real weapons or could be mistaken for them.
—Jenna Prestininzi, Freep.com, 3 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for mistake
Noun
Waiting so long was the dumbest mistake of my life.
—Scott Haugen, Outdoor Life, 13 Aug. 2025
The incident is illustrative of something experts have long feared in the contentious South China Sea; one mistake by one captain or pilot could lead to a superpower military confrontation.
—Brad Lendon, CNN Money, 12 Aug. 2025
Verb
That would be Britain Covey, an amiable, 5-foot-8 wide receiver and punt returner who’s so diminutive that he’s been denied entry into players’ parking lots in the past and recently was mistaken for a member of the Rams’ front office.
—Mirjam Swanson, Oc Register, 5 Aug. 2025
No items that resemble real weapons or could be mistaken for them.
—Jenna Prestininzi, Freep.com, 3 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for mistake
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mistake
Noun
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Over the past decade, the legendary team was known for tragic blunders regarding decision making and communication.—
Nelson Espinal,
MSNBC Newsweek,
31 July 2025
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In total, Bonilla will walk away with a $29.8 million payday because of Wilpon’s blunder.—
Allen Kim,
CNN Money,
1 July 2025
Noun
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When applied across a $500 million capital investment in net new builds—where UPS systems might account for only a small portion—the effect is at less than 1%, effectively a rounding error in the overall budget.—
Ryan Mallory,
Forbes.com,
18 Aug. 2025
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Christian Kuntz for making a bunch of errors at the hot corner.—
Mike Jones,
New York Times,
18 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Germany's Bild newspaper reported on Saturday that Witkoff had misunderstood Russia's position on a ceasefire deal, taking Putin's demands for Ukraine to withdraw from Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson as an offer for Moscow to pull troops from the two regions.—
Ellie Cook,
MSNBC Newsweek,
10 Aug. 2025
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To imagine that demand can outpace supply is to misunderstand how people demand in the first place.—
John Tamny,
Forbes.com,
10 Aug. 2025
Verb
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This is because the process seems easier in theory and planning than in actual practice; individuals underestimate the amount of work, experimentation and repetition necessary to achieve any meaningful outcomes.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes.com,
8 Aug. 2025
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Like with Bochy, a lot of MLB folks underestimated Preller.—
Tom Krasovic,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
3 Aug. 2025
Verb
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The refusal by the union to obey the order left many travelers at Toronto Pearson International Airport confused and frustrated on Aug. 17.—
Allison Lampert,
USA Today,
17 Aug. 2025
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The Chiefs looked overwhelmed and confused at times.—
Blair Kerkhoff,
Kansas City Star,
16 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.—
Stephanie Wenger,
People.com,
8 Aug. 2025
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Critics like me might grouse on the sidelines about a film's narrative arc or a documentary's missing moments.—
Eric Deggans,
NPR,
7 Aug. 2025
Verb
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France misjudged its run-in to the line and was never a threat for the win.—
Andrew Rice,
New York Times,
9 June 2025
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Even the most seasoned founders can misjudge the boundaries of these regimes.—
Irina Heaver,
Forbes.com,
22 July 2025
Noun
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Through a series of tweets, Altman publicly acknowledged a fundamental miscalculation.—
Victor Dey,
Forbes.com,
14 Aug. 2025
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Clashes at Scarborough and other South China Sea flashpoints have raised questions over whether a miscalculation could trigger Manila's Mutual Defense Treaty with Washington—and potentially a conflict between the two superpowers.—
Micah McCartney,
MSNBC Newsweek,
13 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Mistake.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mistake. Accessed 21 Aug. 2025.
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