1
as in blunder
a wrong judgment
they made a mistake when they thought the young pitcher was ready to be called up to the major leagues
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2
as in error
an unintentional departure from truth or accuracy
made a mistake on the exam that almost cost her a passing grade
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in to misunderstand
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to underestimate
to make an incorrect judgment regarding
you seriously mistake me if you think I scare so easily
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3
as in to confuse
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 mistake
The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 20 July 2025
Cancellations might also be signs that automakers are learning from their mistakes and even beginning to adapt more quickly.
—Aarian Marshall, Wired News, 19 July 2025
Rick Armstrong, Chicago Tribune, 10 July 2025
Frankly, he could have been mistaken as a dealership salesperson more so than as the CEO of a Fortune 500 company.
—Jamie L. Lareau, Freep.com, 9 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for mistake
Noun
But our system of justice and our democratic values allow for those like Jesse Jackson Jr., who’ve admitted their mistakes and paid for them, to ask for a second chance and get a fair hearing.
—The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 20 July 2025
Cancellations might also be signs that automakers are learning from their mistakes and even beginning to adapt more quickly.
—Aarian Marshall, Wired News, 19 July 2025
Verb
Doug Feldmann won’t be mistaken for actor Kevin Costner, but this college professor is living a baseball dream of his own that would be the envy of many.
—Rick Armstrong, Chicago Tribune, 10 July 2025
Frankly, he could have been mistaken as a dealership salesperson more so than as the CEO of a Fortune 500 company.
—Jamie L. Lareau, Freep.com, 9 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for mistake
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mistake
Noun
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What happened to Josh Friedman isn’t just an HR blunder.—
Chloe Rogers,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
10 July 2025
-
Letting Tommy Kahnle, a reliable arm, walk has turned out to be a massive blunder.—
Zach Pressnell,
MSNBC Newsweek,
9 July 2025
Noun
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Without a robust knowledge foundation, these early wins can mask serious risks—from compliance breaches to costly decision errors.—
Stéphane Donzé,
Forbes.com,
25 July 2025
-
Pilot error caused the crash, according to a final report from the National Transportation Safety Board.—
Perry Vandell,
AZCentral.com,
25 July 2025
Verb
-
Here are two key areas of the program that Americans tend to misunderstand: 1.—
Lorie Konish,
CNBC,
24 July 2025
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Actors may be influenced by emotion or misinformation, collude or form cartels, misunderstand incentives or lack information.—
Ali Faizan Rizvi,
Forbes.com,
23 July 2025
Verb
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The logistical difficulty of smuggling datacenter-grade hardware is often underestimated; these GPUs arrive preassembled into racks that can weigh over 3,600 pounds, making physical diversion highly impractical.—
Patrick Moorhead,
Forbes.com,
16 July 2025
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Try this harder alternative first Before turning immediately to medications, don’t underestimate what consistent lifestyle changes can do, not just for your blood sugar but for your whole life.—
Dr. Jamin Brahmbhatt,
CNN Money,
14 July 2025
Verb
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Two people can deliver the same message, but their delivery style can make the difference between motivating and confusing a team.—
Kendra MacDonald,
Forbes.com,
23 July 2025
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By 1915, scientists unearthed 2 million bones of large animals from La Brea, and a pattern emerged that both excited and confused them: too many predators.—
Ian Rose,
JSTOR Daily,
23 July 2025
Verb
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Pro Bowl quarterback Matthew Stafford was expected to miss the first handful of practices with a sore back, but head coach Sean McVay gave an update on Stafford's status on Saturday that likely has Rams fans at least a little concerned.—
Michael Gallagher,
MSNBC Newsweek,
27 July 2025
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The Milwaukee Police Department has requested public assistance in their efforts to locate Andrew K. Addae, a critically missing 54-year-old man.—
Jim Riccioli,
jsonline.com,
27 July 2025
Verb
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Washington has a history of profoundly misjudging the character of Vladimir Putin.—
Steve Forbes,
Forbes.com,
19 June 2025
-
The Agriculture Ministry is under fire for delaying releases of emergency rice reserves, which normally are kept for disasters, and for misjudging the demand-supply balance.—
Mari Yamaguchi,
Christian Science Monitor,
30 May 2025
Noun
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The financial stakes at play highlight the magnitude of their miscalculation.—
Nicholas Creel,
MSNBC Newsweek,
16 July 2025
-
Bush’s miscalculation cost 4,431 American soldiers their lives, plus another 31,994 injured, plus 295,000 Iraqi lives.—
Tom Zirpoli,
Baltimore Sun,
24 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Mistake.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mistake. Accessed 30 Jul. 2025.
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