# mistaken

/mɪˈsteɪkən/ (US) · /mɪstˈeɪkən/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/mistaken
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. wrong about something

adjective · CEFR B1

wrong in what you believe or think.

For teachers: holding an incorrect belief or opinion; often used in the phrase 'to be mistaken'.

- If you think the meeting is today, you are mistaken; it is actually tomorrow.
- I was initially mistaken about his intentions, but his subsequent actions proved that he was genuinely trying to help the team.

Usage: Commonly follows the verb 'to be' or 'to find oneself'.

### 2. incorrect or erroneous

adjective · CEFR B2

based on a wrong idea or fact.

For teachers: characterised by error; based on a false premise or incorrect information.

- The police released the man after a case of mistaken identity.
- The theory was based on a mistaken assumption that the market would remain stable despite the political unrest.

Usage: Often used to modify nouns like 'identity', 'belief', or 'assumption'.

## Examples

- I was mistaken about the time of the meeting.
- The witness was mistaken about the color of the car, which led the police in the wrong direction.
- His belief that the market would recover by spring proved mistaken, as economic indicators continued to signal a deep and prolonged recession.

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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.