1
as in misunderstood
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 misjudged
to make an incorrect judgment regarding
you seriously mistake me if you think I scare so easily
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in confused
to fail to differentiate (a thing) from something similar or related
she mistook physical attraction for love
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of mistook
Digging into their Nordic roots, Ida and Filip also built a sauna, which some confused members of the local community initially mistook for a giant bread oven.
—
Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 31 Dec. 2025
No one, except maybe kids too young to remember the 20th century, mistook Stranger Things for being original.
—Judy Berman, Time, 26 Dec. 2025
One example is an AI detection software that mistook a bag of Doritos for a gun, resulting in a large police response.
—James Densley, The Conversation, 17 Dec. 2025
Another employee mistook the pitcher of cleaning fluid for juice and poured it into three residents’ glasses, prosecutors said.
—Caelyn Pender, Mercury News, 25 Nov. 2025
Sorkin’s brand of idealism suddenly felt like science fiction — an elegy for a republic that mistook grift for governance.
—Alexis Coe, Rolling Stone, 16 Nov. 2025
The cohosting couple kicked off Wednesday's show by discussing a round of global headlines, including a dog named Mouse who recently shocked the residents of Ireland who mistook him for a lion because of his strange haircut.
—Joey Nolfi, Entertainment Weekly, 12 Nov. 2025
Police drew guns on a student outside a Baltimore County high school after an artificial intelligence system mistook his snack for a firearm.
—Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 24 Oct. 2025
Though not much is known about their relationship, the famed Sex and the City actress had played into a funny moment when 60 Minutes mistook her for Justin's mother, Margaret, in a retrospective.
—Diane J. Cho, PEOPLE, 19 Oct. 2025
Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 31 Dec. 2025
No one, except maybe kids too young to remember the 20th century, mistook Stranger Things for being original.
—Judy Berman, Time, 26 Dec. 2025
One example is an AI detection software that mistook a bag of Doritos for a gun, resulting in a large police response.
—James Densley, The Conversation, 17 Dec. 2025
Another employee mistook the pitcher of cleaning fluid for juice and poured it into three residents’ glasses, prosecutors said.
—Caelyn Pender, Mercury News, 25 Nov. 2025
Sorkin’s brand of idealism suddenly felt like science fiction — an elegy for a republic that mistook grift for governance.
—Alexis Coe, Rolling Stone, 16 Nov. 2025
The cohosting couple kicked off Wednesday's show by discussing a round of global headlines, including a dog named Mouse who recently shocked the residents of Ireland who mistook him for a lion because of his strange haircut.
—Joey Nolfi, Entertainment Weekly, 12 Nov. 2025
Police drew guns on a student outside a Baltimore County high school after an artificial intelligence system mistook his snack for a firearm.
—Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 24 Oct. 2025
Though not much is known about their relationship, the famed Sex and the City actress had played into a funny moment when 60 Minutes mistook her for Justin's mother, Margaret, in a retrospective.
—Diane J. Cho, PEOPLE, 19 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mistook
Verb
-
So both sides have misunderstood his constituency.—
Newsweek Staff,
MSNBC Newsweek,
5 Nov. 2025
-
Many patients are surprised to learn that watery eyes can actually be a sign of dryness, a common but frequently misunderstood symptom.—
Team Verywell Health,
Verywell Health,
6 Oct. 2025
Verb
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In that ambiguity, black can feel both perfectly chic and potentially misjudged.—
Anya Meyerowitz,
Glamour,
20 Dec. 2025
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The protagonist, the witch Elphaba, is consistently misjudged for her bright green skin.—
Leah Asmelash,
CNN Money,
6 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
The Farmers’ Almanac will be gone for good after its final 2026 edition, not to be confused with The Old Farmer's Almanac, a separate publication.—
Alex Perry,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
7 Nov. 2025
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Blue Origin also launches New Shepard from Texas The New Glenn spacecraft is not to be confused with Blue Origin's much smaller New Shepard rocket that the company launches from West Texas on brief trips taking paying passengers high above Earth's atmosphere.—
Eric Lagatta,
USA Today,
7 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Butker, who entered the season as one of the NFL’s top kickers, missed five kicks over his next seven halves of football.—
Jesse Newell,
New York Times,
7 Jan. 2026
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The city reversed course and put the matter out to bid but ultimately rejected a proposal by Nikki Beach after saying its representatives missed a deadline to submit documents.—
Aaron Leibowitz,
Miami Herald,
7 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Being underestimated became part of the education.—
Parin Moradiya,
Chicago Tribune,
9 Jan. 2026
-
The next time new science reveals that a chemical is much more toxic, or that the amount of pollution released from a factory had been underestimated and would cause legally unacceptable health risks, the agency would not be able to react.—
Lisa Song,
ProPublica,
7 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Mistook.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mistook. Accessed 12 Jan. 2026.
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