# mix up

CEFR B1 · Phrasal verb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/mix-up
Updated: 2026-10-22

## Definition

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.

For teachers: 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.

## Pitfalls

- Not "I mixed up them." but "I mixed them up." — When the object is a pronoun, it must be placed between the verb and the particle.

## Usage notes

- 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.

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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.