mistook

verb

past tense of mistake
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

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2
as in misjudged
to make an incorrect judgment regarding you seriously mistake me if you think I scare so easily

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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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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of mistook In their petitions, several immigrants said that officers mistook them for the aggressor. — Melissa Sanchez, ProPublica, 14 Oct. 2026 Jensen Huang has argued that the doomsayers mistook the task of reading scans for the whole job. — Han Wang, Fortune, 9 Oct. 2026 The agents mistook the man for the fugitive, the agent told police. — Cybele Mayes-Osterman, Los Angeles Times, 25 Sep. 2026 The incident comes about a year after a teenager died in rural Iowa, after he was shot by a fellow hunter who apparently mistook him for a squirrel. — Emily Mae Czachor, CBS News, 21 Sep. 2026 Fans initially mistook the glittery design for a tattoo before identifying it as one of Barrière’s top-selling offerings. — Sophie Dunne, Footwear News, 14 Sep. 2026 Keeley walked away before realizing that Roy mistook Erin for Keeley. — Erin Jensen, USA Today, 9 Sep. 2026 As the bat boy sat at a red light, two women pulled up alongside him and mistook him for Byrnes. — Alejandro Avila Outkick, FOXNews.com, 7 Sep. 2026 Marcus mistook Sandra's reliability and competence for engagement. — Dr. Rick Ruperto, Forbes.com, 1 Sep. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mistook
  1. misunderstood
  2. misjudged
  3. confused
  4. missed
  5. underestimated
Verb
  • Reward prediction error reflects a discrepancy in the outcome or goal and, in the NVA system, can indicate that the AI has misunderstood what the person ultimately wanted.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 4 Oct. 2026
  • Mangione's attorneys then fired back Monday in a response to the DA's office's letter, saying prosecutors had misunderstood their position.
    — Greg Wehner , Stepheny Price, FOXNews.com, 3 Aug. 2026
Definition of misunderstood
Verb
  • Some have misjudged the strength of the surface mat, stepping in the wrong place or breaking through into the cold water below.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 16 Oct. 2026
  • Jorrel Hato misjudged the flight of the delivery, allowing Belloumi to emphatically half-volley a shot into the bottom corner.
    — Conor O'Neill, New York Times, 14 Sep. 2026
Definition of misjudged
Verb
  • Ureaplasma is frequently confused with or misdiagnosed as Interstitial Cystitis (IC), sending patients down a very different treatment path.
    — Hanna Wickes, Sacbee.com, 19 Oct. 2026
  • The sticker price of an iPhone might be confused with that of a luxury watch.
    — Gideon Lewis-Kraus, New Yorker, 19 Oct. 2026
Definition of confused
Verb
  • Sexton, who missed all five preseason games, was a full participant in practice Monday and did not suffer a setback, Redick said.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 22 Oct. 2026
  • When working as a rural OB-GYN, Marshall sued over 700 patients, leading to 81 arrests when patients missed court dates and failed to repay their bills.
    — Jack Harvel, Kansas City Star, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of missed
Verb
  • The announcement followed Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez's acknowledgment that authorities had underestimated the unrest and lost control in some cities during Saturday's protests.
    — Aidan Stretch, CBS News, 20 Oct. 2026
  • Past changes have pushed the glacier into a retreat that may be difficult to reverse, while new modeling suggests scientists may have underestimated how warm seawater reaches beneath it.
    — Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 17 Oct. 2026
Definition of underestimated

Browse Nearby Words

mistitling
mistook
mistranslate
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Cite this Entry

“Mistook.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mistook. Accessed 26 Oct. 2026.

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