MISTAKE Synonyms: 116 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How does the noun 'mistake' differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of mistake are blunder , error , lapse , and slip . While all these words mean "a departure from what is true, right, or proper," mistake implies misconception or inadvertence and usually expresses less criticism than error . // dialed the wrong number by mistake

Q: Where would 'blunder' be a reasonable alternative to 'mistake'?

The words blunder and mistake can be used in similar contexts, but blunder regularly imputes stupidity or ignorance as a cause and connotes some degree of blame. // diplomatic blunders

Q: When is it sensible to use 'error' instead of 'mistake'?

The synonyms error and mistake are sometimes interchangeable, but error suggests the existence of a standard or guide and a straying from the right course through failure to make effective use of this. // procedural errors

Q: When can 'lapse' be used instead of 'mistake'?

While in some cases nearly identical to mistake , lapse stresses forgetfulness, weakness, or inattention as a cause. // a lapse in judgment

Q: When could 'slip' be used to replace 'mistake'?

The words slip and mistake are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, slip stresses inadvertence or accident and applies especially to trivial but embarrassing mistakes. // a slip of the tongue

mistake 1 of 2

noun

Definition of mistake

as in blunder

a wrong judgment they made a mistake when they thought the young pitcher was ready to be called up to the major leagues

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as in error

an unintentional departure from truth or accuracy made a mistake on the exam that almost cost her a passing grade

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

mistake

2 of 2

verb

mə-ˈstāk

as in to misunderstand

to fail to understand the true or actual meaning of the auctioneer mistook my nod for a bid, and I ended up buying a painting I don't even like

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to underestimate

to make an incorrect judgment regarding you seriously mistake me if you think I scare so easily

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as in to confuse

to fail to differentiate (a thing) from something similar or related she mistook physical attraction for love

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun mistake differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of mistake are blunder, error, lapse, and slip. While all these words mean "a departure from what is true, right, or proper," mistake implies misconception or inadvertence and usually expresses less criticism than error.

dialed the wrong number by mistake

Where would blunder be a reasonable alternative to mistake?

The words blunder and mistake can be used in similar contexts, but blunder regularly imputes stupidity or ignorance as a cause and connotes some degree of blame.

diplomatic blunders

When is it sensible to use error instead of mistake?

The synonyms error and mistake are sometimes interchangeable, but error suggests the existence of a standard or guide and a straying from the right course through failure to make effective use of this.

procedural errors

When can lapse be used instead of mistake?

While in some cases nearly identical to mistake, lapse stresses forgetfulness, weakness, or inattention as a cause.

a lapse in judgment

When could slip be used to replace mistake?

The words slip and mistake are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, slip stresses inadvertence or accident and applies especially to trivial but embarrassing mistakes.

a slip of the tongue

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of mistake

Noun

As in-game operators mistakenly shot off fireworks, Marsh put his hands on his head, immediately aware of his mistake. — Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 17 Oct. 2026 Accounting software that imports transactions and suggests categories can reduce manual work, but reviewing your records regularly will help catch mistakes. — Dana Miranda, CNBC, 17 Oct. 2026

Verb

There’s irony, Gilbert said, in realizing that his father has played rapists, drug dealers, and cartel members without audiences mistaking their beliefs for his own. — Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 15 Oct. 2026 Those with pollen allergies can experience oral allergy syndrome, a mild reaction to certain foods that occurs when the immune system mistakes them for pollen. — Erica Sloan, Washington Post, 14 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for mistake

Recent Examples of Synonyms for mistake

Noun

Adam Hamilton Hamilton, the Democratic nominee, has characterized the war as a major foreign policy blunder.

— Matthew Kelly, Kansas City Star, 17 Oct. 2026
Holding her tongue is not Kate’s forte in general, and the severity of Todd’s avalanche of blunders in their meeting with the British foreign secretary tests the outer limits of her ability.

— Sophie Brookover, Vulture, 17 Oct. 2026

Definition of blunder

Noun

Someone who visits the malicious website directly may see a 404 error page instead of the fake installer.

— Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 17 Oct. 2026
The experts, who had all studied AI in academic settings, all brought up the ironies of the automation problem, where AI makes errors that humans can’t catch.

— Adam Clark Estes, Vox, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of error

Verb

That’s also another beat in the documentary where Evans and Holmes seem to misread or misunderstand popular culture, humor, or art.

— Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 17 Oct. 2026
Reward prediction error reflects a discrepancy in the outcome or goal and, in the NVA system, can indicate that the AI has misunderstood what the person ultimately wanted.

— New Atlas, New Atlas, 4 Oct. 2026

Definition of misunderstand

Verb

Pack with intention Ayoub frequently sees people underestimate the value of proper packing supplies and trying to fit too much into a flimsy container.

— Perri Ormont Blumberg, Architectural Digest, 12 Oct. 2026
While expecting a beat for the September quarter and strong December results, the analyst argued the market is underestimating cyclicality for hard drives and a possible downturn in late 2028 or early 2029.

— Jim Cramer, CNBC, 12 Oct. 2026

Definition of underestimate

Noun

The misjudgment meant the plane clipped a peak and crashed into a valley.

— Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 8 Oct. 2026
There, the discovery of a spacecraft and additional extraterrestrials transforms their chase into a simple struggle for survival, as what began as a series of understandable misjudgments spirals into a tragedy of cosmic scale.

— Patrick Brzeski, HollywoodReporter, 16 Sep. 2026

Definition of misjudgment

Verb

Still, Musk has a track record of setting optimistic release targets for Tesla products, only to miss them by years.

— Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 16 Oct. 2026
Analysts said then that the sell-off was caused as profit margins missed expectations, despite revenue and operating profit reaching record highs, according to analysts.

— Jenny Lee,Lim Hui Jie, CNBC, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of miss

Verb

Notable Nigerian President Bola Tinubu made the case for an African rating agency, arguing that the Big Three misjudge African risk and that a homegrown agency could spot progress early, which the global firms would later confirm.

— Tiisetso Motsoeneng, semafor.com, 7 Oct. 2026
Both films are engineered to make the audience misjudge who really matters to the tale.

— Clayton Davis, Variety, 6 Oct. 2026

Definition of misjudge

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mistake

mistaken

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“Mistake.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mistake. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of mistake

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