Words / B2

mi-STAYK-uh-n/mɪˈsteɪkən/

Mistaken means wrong in an opinion or identification: mistaken for; mistaken about. Wrong is everyday; incorrect is cooler. Log the ID check if someone is mistaken for a candidate. Noun: mistake (already in the dictionary). Mix-up: misunderstand is to get the meaning wrong (already elsewhere); missed is not attended. Do not write mistaken for a spelling slip without the wrong-identity or wrong-belief sense.

Meaning

Wrong in your opinion or identification (often mistaken for / about).

Examples

• “He was mistaken for a candidate; log the ID check.”
• “She was mistaken about the date of the embargo, which is the wrong-belief sense.”

Good to know

mistaken for / about; a mistaken + noun. Everyday: wrong. Noun: mistake. Trap: misunderstand / missed. Exams, news, and orals. Wrong ID or belief, not merely late.

Near in meaning

wrong

New