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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of mistook
Alvarez, 41, was in MacArthur Park on May 18 when he was approached by two police officers, who initially mistook him as the suspect in a vehicle theft, according to a Justice Department news release and a criminal complaint filed Wednesday in the Central District of California.
—
Los Angeles Times, 30 May 2026
Samara Weaving and Margot Robbie bear a striking resemblance to one another—so much so, apparently, that a fan once mistook her for the Barbie actress.
—Hannah Malach, InStyle, 29 May 2026
Two years in the making, this unexpected white marble pyramid jutting out of the sand dunes (which locals mistook as a hub for illicit activities during its construction) has significantly raised the culture bar in the area.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 27 May 2026
In January 2024, Lola was diagnosed with leukemia after her parents initially mistook bruises appearing across her body for childhood clumsiness.
—Jordan Greene, PEOPLE, 25 May 2026
Recent history is full of businesses that mistook expansion for resilience and discovered too late that scale alone doesn’t fix weak fundamentals.
—Richard McCathron, Fortune, 25 May 2026
In fact, Kate Middleton once showed off her great sense of humor after someone mistook her for Prince William’s assistant.
—Allison Degrushe, StyleCaster, 24 May 2026
The report also highlights a February 2025 inmate death from a gang beating that raised serious concerns about whether the victim was unnecessarily exposed to risk by attackers who mistook him for a rival.
—Robert Salonga, Mercury News, 18 May 2026
In an interview with the Times of London, Burke recalled when Day-Lewis apparently mistook the ghost for his own father.
—Mike Barnes, HollywoodReporter, 18 May 2026
Los Angeles Times, 30 May 2026
Samara Weaving and Margot Robbie bear a striking resemblance to one another—so much so, apparently, that a fan once mistook her for the Barbie actress.
—Hannah Malach, InStyle, 29 May 2026
Two years in the making, this unexpected white marble pyramid jutting out of the sand dunes (which locals mistook as a hub for illicit activities during its construction) has significantly raised the culture bar in the area.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 27 May 2026
In January 2024, Lola was diagnosed with leukemia after her parents initially mistook bruises appearing across her body for childhood clumsiness.
—Jordan Greene, PEOPLE, 25 May 2026
Recent history is full of businesses that mistook expansion for resilience and discovered too late that scale alone doesn’t fix weak fundamentals.
—Richard McCathron, Fortune, 25 May 2026
In fact, Kate Middleton once showed off her great sense of humor after someone mistook her for Prince William’s assistant.
—Allison Degrushe, StyleCaster, 24 May 2026
The report also highlights a February 2025 inmate death from a gang beating that raised serious concerns about whether the victim was unnecessarily exposed to risk by attackers who mistook him for a rival.
—Robert Salonga, Mercury News, 18 May 2026
In an interview with the Times of London, Burke recalled when Day-Lewis apparently mistook the ghost for his own father.
—Mike Barnes, HollywoodReporter, 18 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mistook
Verb
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In response to questions about the Mizuho analyst’s conclusions, Muddy Waters founder Carson Block told Fortune by email that the analyst had misunderstood its findings.—
Jeff John Roberts,
Fortune,
25 Mar. 2026
-
The crowd’s reaction, like so much collective behavior in Japan, could easily be misunderstood by outsiders.—
Joshua Hunt,
Harpers Magazine,
24 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Nathan MacKinnon may have misjudged the timing of Werenski’s arrival.—
Fluto Shinzawa,
New York Times,
5 June 2026
-
Lens should already have been level — or even ahead — at the break but striker Wesley Saïd misjudged a close-range header and then shot straight at goalkeeper Matvei Safonov in first-half stoppage time.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
13 May 2026
Verb
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Using a gas chromatograph mass spectrometer, for example, the spectral biosignatures of carbon dioxide and methane may overlap, leading to the gasses being confused with each other and signs of life being dismissed or lost.—
Jeffrey Kluger,
Time,
1 June 2026
-
Brown women artists are often confused with anthropologists.—
Cressida Leyshon,
New Yorker,
31 May 2026
Verb
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Then the team, for unknown reasons, withdrew from the East Asian championship in 2019, and missed the 2023 World Cup, citing the Covid-19 pandemic.—
Andrew McNicol,
CNN Money,
7 June 2026
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Marner was awarded a penalty shot, but Bussi didn't give him much to shoot at, and Marner missed his attempt on the backhand.—
Matt Reigle,
FOXNews.com,
7 June 2026
Verb
-
What Keynes underestimated, and what many of today’s AI evangelists tend not to confront, is that progress unfolds inside social systems structured by power.—
Christopher Marquis,
Time,
30 May 2026
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For Kinexx Chairman Adrian Muhammad, the economic viability of these lots is vastly underestimated by outside institutions.—
Stephanie Tharpe,
Forbes.com,
29 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Mistook.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mistook. Accessed 8 Jun. 2026.
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