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
Alaa Alqaisi
august 13, Literary Hub, 13 Aug. 2025
Once Elio is beamed up to space, the aliens mistake him for the leader of Earth.
—Saleen Martin, USA Today, 12 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
My body mistakes fear for emptiness, exhaustion for need.
—Alaa Alqaisi
august 13, Literary Hub, 13 Aug. 2025
Once Elio is beamed up to space, the aliens mistake him for the leader of Earth.
—Saleen Martin, USA Today, 12 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for mistake
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mistake
Noun
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Target’s brief foray into Canada is still considered one of the biggest foreign blunders by a major US retailer.—
Nathaniel Meyersohn,
CNN Money,
20 Aug. 2025
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This instance, and several other AI blunders, have led to companies such as McDonald's and Klarna rolling back on AI policies.—
Gary Drenik,
Forbes.com,
19 Aug. 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
-
Christian Kuntz for making a bunch of errors at the hot corner.—
Mike Jones,
New York Times,
18 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
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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One study of the effect found that it’s likely caused by people underestimating the duration of the first leg.—
Alex Mayyasi,
HubSpot,
22 Aug. 2025
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Altman, at that same dinner, warned that the U.S. may be underestimating the complexity and seriousness of China’s progress in AI—and said export controls alone likely aren’t a reliable solution.—
Sharon Goldman,
Fortune,
21 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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Those news stories are confusing the timeline for the older stimulus checks.—
Kelly Phillips Erb,
Forbes.com,
16 Aug. 2025
Verb
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The younger Chávez has battled drug addiction for much of his boxing career, failing drug tests, serving suspensions and egregiously missing weight while being widely criticized for his intermittent dedication to the sport.—
Fabiola Sanchez,
Chicago Tribune,
20 Aug. 2025
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Don't miss these Trader Joe's has restocked this beloved item at its Wisconsin stores.—
Steven Martinez,
jsonline.com,
19 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Studies have shown, however, that schools have historically misjudged honors and AP courses for student readiness.—
Liz Doe Stone,
Forbes.com,
14 Aug. 2025
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Matt Vierling appeared to misjudge the ball off Ryan Jeffers’ bat in the first, turning a potential inning-ending catch into a double and the Twins went on to score three runs.—
Larry Lage,
Twin Cities,
6 Aug. 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 28 Aug. 2025.
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