Word
mistaking
Phoneticsmis·tak·ing
US/mɪˈsteɪkɪŋ/
UK/mɪstˈeɪkɪŋ/
Definition
v. thinking that someone or something is actually someone or something else. You use this when you make a wrong judgment or identify something incorrectly.
v. identifying someone or something incorrectly; confusing one person or thing with another. Present participle of 'mistake' used to describe an ongoing error in judgment or perception.
Examples
“I am always mistaking him for his twin brother.”
“By mistaking the salt for sugar, she accidentally ruined the entire batch of cookies.”
“The witness admitted to mistaking the defendant for the actual perpetrator due to the poor lighting conditions and the high-stress nature of the encounter.”
Examples
simple
“I am always mistaking him for his twin brother.”
contextual
“By mistaking the salt for sugar, she accidentally ruined the entire batch of cookies.”
complex
“The witness admitted to mistaking the defendant for the actual perpetrator due to the poor lighting conditions and the high-stress nature of the encounter.”
Usage
Often takes the preposition 'for' to indicate the incorrect identification.
Pitfall
mistaking him with his brother
mistaking him for his brother
The verb 'mistake' collocations with 'for' rather than 'with' when identifying the object of the confusion.
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/mistaking