mistook

verb

past tense of mistake
1
as in misunderstood
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
2
as in misjudged
to make an incorrect judgment regarding you seriously mistake me if you think I scare so easily

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3
as in confused
to fail to differentiate (a thing) from something similar or related she mistook physical attraction for love

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 mistook Marcus mistook Sandra's reliability and competence for engagement. — Dr. Rick Ruperto, Forbes.com, 1 Sep. 2026 After about 30 minutes of searching, Smith spotted something glimmering in the East Drain section of the park — but initially mistook it for mica, a glittery and common mineral. — Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 1 Sep. 2026 When one of the Fox sportscasters mistook Matt Damon for Brad Pitt, several news organizations mistakenly reported that Pitt was there. — Bobby Allyn, NPR, 13 Aug. 2026 In that are shades of Woodstock 1994, where Green Day and the crowd flung mud at each other, and Dirnt wound up getting his front teeth knocked out by a security guard who mistook him for a fan. — Brian Truitt, USA Today, 12 Aug. 2026 Reflecting on the album in a 2008 interview with SPIN, Costello said people mistook the confrontational pose for genuine swagger. — Spin Staff, SPIN, 4 Aug. 2026 Kikuko sometimes mistook Shigejiro’s cheerfulness for egoism owing to the distortions produced by her illness. — Cynthia Zarin, Harpers Magazine, 4 Aug. 2026 The Odyssey star Samantha Morton claimed in an interview published Monday that Vincent Ward, director of her 2005 period drama River Queen, mistook her for her fellow English screen star Emily Watson while on set. — Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 4 Aug. 2026 In a March 2024 interview with Irish radio station U105, Ferguson shared that her daughter with Gainer once mistook her father for her Dune co-star, Timothée Chalamet. — Giovana Gelhoren, InStyle, 4 Aug. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mistook
  1. misunderstood
  2. misjudged
  3. confused
  4. missed
  5. underestimated
Verb
  • Mangione's attorneys then fired back Monday in a response to the DA's office's letter, saying prosecutors had misunderstood their position.
    — Greg Wehner , Stepheny Price, FOXNews.com, 3 Aug. 2026
  • Either dark energy is a real phenomenon, causing the universe to grow bigger at a faster and faster rate, or there is no dark energy at all, and scientists have somehow misunderstood the laws of gravity at cosmic scales.
    — Clara Moskowitz, Scientific American, 1 July 2026
Definition of misunderstood
Verb
  • Deebo Samuel, not Cowing, was the team’s punt returner to open the game, and Cowing misjudged one of his early attempts, allowing the ball to bounce in front of him.
    — Matt Barrows, New York Times, 21 Aug. 2026
  • The extent of harm, after all, can be misjudged by those suffering it, and complaints are not always offered by the frightened captive.
    — Adam Gopnik, New Yorker, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of misjudged
Verb
  • However, comments Titi and KC made on their Aftersun episode after being dumped from the villa left Aniya confused about where their dynamic stood.
    — Carly Thomas, HollywoodReporter, 1 Sep. 2026
  • But getting to these moments means being okay with being confused, and that’s because season 2 really ratchets up the complexity primarily by introducing a whole bunch of new characters, most of whom are variants of existing ones.
    — Andrew Webster, The Verge, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of confused
Verb
  • Right tackle Luke Goedeke tore his plantar fascia and suffered a severe foot contusion, and missed six games.
    — Rick Stroud, The Orlando Sentinel, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Bell, a fourth-round draft pick after his record-breaking senior year at UConn, missed the first two preseason games with a groin injury but starred in his debut against the Pittsburgh Steelers at the brand new Highmark Stadium on Thursday night.
    — Joe Arruda, Hartford Courant, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of missed
Verb
  • Murdoch is thick-skinned and accustomed to being underestimated by the condescending Brits, who see him as a crass interloper.
    — David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 2 Sep. 2026
  • Saying a player is bigger and stronger can be cliche, but a UM person said that’s very much the case with Lightfoot, whose strength is sometimes underestimated because of his sleek build.
    — Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of underestimated

Browse Nearby Words

mistitling
mistook
mistranslate
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Cite this Entry

“Mistook.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mistook. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

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