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
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in underestimating
to make an incorrect judgment regarding
you seriously mistake me if you think I scare so easily
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in confusing
to fail to differentiate (a thing) from something similar or related
she mistook physical attraction for love
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of mistaking
Buffett has also repeatedly cautioned shareholders against mistaking volatility for failure.
—
Yun Li, CNBC, 1 Jan. 2026
The creative LaMelo Ball, along with Kon Knueppel, Collin Sexton and Tre Mann are all gifted scorers and offensive forces, but nobody is mistaking them for members of the 2004 Pistons.
—Joseph Dycus, Mercury News, 30 Dec. 2025
Vertebrate predators, including birds and lizards, may also be deterred by the oversized silhouette, mistaking the decoy for larger, less manageable prey.
—New Atlas, 21 Dec. 2025
Drink water before meals Drinking water or herbal tea before meals may help some people feel fuller and avoid mistaking thirst for hunger, with studies suggesting that about 2 cups consumed 30 minutes before eating can modestly reduce calorie intake.
—Deirdre Bardolf, FOXNews.com, 20 Dec. 2025
For instance, Saturday Night Live recently panned Palantir in a sketch in which the company’s software accidentally targets a runaway mechanical bull, mistaking it for a drug-smuggling boat.
—Reed Albergotti, semafor.com, 19 Dec. 2025
Many companies today are stuck in the same trap IBM escaped, running hundreds of AI pilots with little to show for them, mistaking activity for progress.
—Adam Mills, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Dec. 2025
But Morrow is most worried that investors are mistaking raw spending for real growth.
—Eva Roytburg, Fortune, 13 Nov. 2025
And lately, Prime’s recommendations algorithm seems to have taken a shine to it — perhaps mistaking it for a sharp spy game as its human predecessors did, or perhaps not.
—Claire McNear, Rolling Stone, 8 Nov. 2025
Yun Li, CNBC, 1 Jan. 2026
The creative LaMelo Ball, along with Kon Knueppel, Collin Sexton and Tre Mann are all gifted scorers and offensive forces, but nobody is mistaking them for members of the 2004 Pistons.
—Joseph Dycus, Mercury News, 30 Dec. 2025
Vertebrate predators, including birds and lizards, may also be deterred by the oversized silhouette, mistaking the decoy for larger, less manageable prey.
—New Atlas, 21 Dec. 2025
Drink water before meals Drinking water or herbal tea before meals may help some people feel fuller and avoid mistaking thirst for hunger, with studies suggesting that about 2 cups consumed 30 minutes before eating can modestly reduce calorie intake.
—Deirdre Bardolf, FOXNews.com, 20 Dec. 2025
For instance, Saturday Night Live recently panned Palantir in a sketch in which the company’s software accidentally targets a runaway mechanical bull, mistaking it for a drug-smuggling boat.
—Reed Albergotti, semafor.com, 19 Dec. 2025
Many companies today are stuck in the same trap IBM escaped, running hundreds of AI pilots with little to show for them, mistaking activity for progress.
—Adam Mills, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Dec. 2025
But Morrow is most worried that investors are mistaking raw spending for real growth.
—Eva Roytburg, Fortune, 13 Nov. 2025
And lately, Prime’s recommendations algorithm seems to have taken a shine to it — perhaps mistaking it for a sharp spy game as its human predecessors did, or perhaps not.
—Claire McNear, Rolling Stone, 8 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mistaking
Verb
-
Perception can lead to misunderstanding Perception is how countries view each other’s actions.—
Kaleb Demerew,
The Conversation,
3 Nov. 2025
-
But Fox feels people are misunderstanding her intentions.—
Bethy Squires,
Vulture,
1 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Both initially received warm welcomes on the festival circuit, but the lack of hyperbole had many perhaps underestimating them.—
Jenelle Riley,
Variety,
5 Nov. 2025
-
Yet Britain failed to capitalize on the success, underestimating the American ability to regroup and continue fighting.—
JSTOR Daily,
JSTOR Daily,
18 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Perplexity’s image features photographs of people with some truly nightmarish distortions on its wall, while the placement of its sink is confusing and distracting.—
PC Magazine,
PC Magazine,
25 Oct. 2025
-
This was out of respect for me, and also to avoid confusing the children.—
Judith Martin,
Mercury News,
23 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Prater was hurt in the first half of a season-ending 35-8 win over the New York Jets on Sunday in his return after missing two games.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
7 Jan. 2026
-
The only thing missing from his resume is Olympic gold.—
Marcus Thompson II,
New York Times,
7 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
The survey found that young daters often misinterpret green flags as red flags, misjudging intentions in stereotypical ways.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes.com,
16 Sep. 2025
-
The other kids have never been happier or more prepared for the standardized tests that will determine their futures, which means their parents are suddenly in love with Maria, and her overbearing principal is sorry for misjudging her.—
David Ehrlich,
IndieWire,
7 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Speaking to reporters later, the president appeared to be conflating the testing of missiles that deliver a nuclear warhead with the testing of the warheads.—
Khaleda Rahman,
MSNBC Newsweek,
31 Oct. 2025
-
That’s part of the reason people have such an easy time conflating you with your character.—
McKinley Franklin,
HollywoodReporter,
9 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Mistaking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mistaking. Accessed 8 Jan. 2026.
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