Phrasal verb
mix up
Irregular verb
Forms
Infinitive
mix up
Past
mixed up
Past participle
mixed up
Definition
phrasal verb. to confuse two people or things because they look similar or seem the same. You use this when you accidentally take the wrong coat because it looks like yours.
phrasal verb. To confuse two or more entities with one another due to perceived similarities. The verb is transitive and can be used with a plural object or two objects linked by 'and'.
Examples
“I always mix up the twins because they look identical.”
“The pharmacy mixed up the prescriptions, so I had to go back and get the correct medicine for my cough.”
“Novice historians often mix up these two distinct treaties because they were signed in the same city only a few months apart during the late nineteenth century.”
Examples
simple
“I always mix up the twins because they look identical.”
contextual
“The pharmacy mixed up the prescriptions, so I had to go back and get the correct medicine for my cough.”
complex
“Novice historians often mix up these two distinct treaties because they were signed in the same city only a few months apart during the late nineteenth century.”
Usage
You can put the object after 'up' or between 'mix' and 'up'.
Teaching tip
Contrast with 'confuse' and show how pronouns like 'them' or 'it' must be placed between the verb and the particle.
Pitfall
I mixed up them.
I mixed them up.
When the object is a pronoun, it must be placed between the verb and the particle.
Phrasal verb
Particles
up
Separability
optional
Pattern
mix (+ object) + up (+ object)
Synonyms
Antonyms
Word family
VERB
ADJECTIVE
PHRASAL VERB
Grammar
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B1 PreliminaryIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.4.0–5.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 3.0–3.544–71TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.550–784
- Frequency
- Common
- Level
- B1 · Intermediate
- Updated
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englishreference.com/q/mix-up