# bark up the wrong tree

idiom · CEFR B1

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/bark-up-the-wrong-tree
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

To take the wrong approach to a situation; to follow a false lead; to attempt to solve a problem using mistaken assumptions about its true nature.

## Examples

- If you think I broke the vase, you are barking up the wrong tree.
- You are barking up the wrong tree if you think I have the keys.
- He barks up the wrong tree by blaming his diet for his constant tiredness.
- The police suspected the accountant, but they were barking up the wrong tree because the thief was actually the manager.
- If you are trying to fix the internet by restarting your computer, you are barking up the wrong tree because the router is actually broken.
- The marketing team is barking up the wrong tree by targeting teenagers when most of our loyal customers are actually retirees.
- She realized she was barking up the wrong tree after spending hours searching the kitchen for her phone, only to find it in the car.
- By focusing solely on budget cuts rather than structural inefficiencies, the board of directors was clearly barking up the wrong tree regarding the company's decline.

## Origin

From 1830s American raccoon hunting: hunting dogs would sometimes bark at the base of a tree the quarry had already left. (disputed)

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.