Synonyms of mistaking

mistaking

verb

present participle of mistake

1

as in misunderstanding

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

• misunderstanding
• missing
• misreading
• misconstruing
• misinterpreting
• misapprehending
• misperceiving
• misjudging
• misconceiving
• misknowing
• mishearing
• misdeeming

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• seeing
• knowing
• getting
• perceiving
• catching
• understanding
• apprehending
• appreciating
• seizing
• grasping
• comprehending
• penetrating
• conceiving
• taking in
• making out
• fathoming
• savvying
• grokking

2

as in underestimating

to make an incorrect judgment regarding

you seriously mistake me if you think I scare so easily

Synonyms & Similar Words

• misunderstanding
• underestimating
• misjudging
• misconceiving
• miscalculating
• mismeasuring
• misdeeming
• misestimating
• misconstruing
• misgauging
• overestimating
• misapprehending
• misperceiving
• misinterpreting
• overvaluing
• overrating
• undervaluing
• underrating
• miscounting
• misknowing
• misesteeming
• misreckoning

3

as in confusing

to fail to differentiate (a thing) from something similar or related

she mistook physical attraction for love

Synonyms & Similar Words

• confusing
• conflating
• mixing (up)
• confounding
• misapplying
• lumping (together)
• misidentifying
• misnaming
• miscalling

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• separating
• distinguishing
• differentiating
• discriminating
• differencing

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of mistaking

Klobuchar suggested that Schmitt was mistaking the Hawkeyes for the Atlanta Hawks. — Melissa Quinn, CBS News, 29 Sep. 2026

Carutasu was involved in another fatal shooting the following year, in which officers shot and killed 35-year-old Mario Sanchez after mistaking the cellphone in his hands for a firearm. — Libor Jany, Los Angeles Times, 24 Sep. 2026

These lacy white flowers look deceptively similar—but mistaking one for the other can have severe consequences. — Sj McShane, Martha Stewart, 18 Sep. 2026

Parton played herself in the 2005 follow-up to 2000’s Miss Congeniality, which featured a scene where Bullock’s character, FBI agent Gracie Hart, tackles and straddles the country music legend—mistaking her for a Vegas impersonator. — Leigh Blickley, Entertainment Weekly, 27 Aug. 2026

There’s no mistaking the pop sensibilities that made this song cross over for the country star, from the Carpenters-worthy soft-pop charm of that piano intro to the lush orchestration on the bridge. — Ed Masley, USA Today, 26 Aug. 2026

Parton played herself in the 2005 comedy, which features a scene where Bullock’s character Gracie tackles her, mistaking the country music legend for a lookalike. — Charna Flam, PEOPLE, 26 Aug. 2026

In September 2011, Daniels, then a 17-year-old dropout and a member of the Bloods, was walking to the laundromat with his sister when rival gang members approached her — mistaking her for Daniels’ other sister, who was also caught up in the streets. — Rocco Parascandola, New York Daily News, 23 Aug. 2026

And both times, there was no mistaking who the gallery wanted to win. — ABC News, 23 Aug. 2026