Tell them what you want to avoid misunderstandings.
boob (British, slang, old-fashioned)
misconception
There are many fears and misconceptions about cancer.
gaffe (informal)
He made an embarrassing gaffe at the convention last weekend.
slip-up (informal)
The girls had made three crucial slip-ups.
bloomer (British, informal, old-fashioned)
clanger (informal)
miscalculation
error of judgment
faux pas
She made an embarrassing faux pas.
false move
boo-boo (informal)
barry or Barry Crocker (Australian, slang)
misstep
2 (noun)
Definition
a misconception or misunderstanding
Spelling mistakes are often just the result of haste.
Synonyms
oversight
By an unfortunate oversight, full instructions do not come with the product.
error
NASA discovered a mathematical error in its calculations.
slip
There must be no slips.
inaccuracy
Guard against inaccuracies by checking with a variety of sources.
fault
It was a genuine fault.
slip-up (informal)
howler (informal)
I felt as if I had made an outrageous howler.
goof
solecism (formal)
erratum
barry or Barry Crocker (Australian, slang)
(verb)
Definition
to misunderstand or misinterpret
No one should mistake how serious this issue is.
Synonyms
misunderstand
They simply misunderstood him.
misinterpret
The Prince's words had been misinterpreted.
misjudge
misread
misconstrue
An outsider might misconstrue the nature of the relationship.
get wrong
misapprehend
To see them as mere stereotypes is to misapprehend their significance.
misconceive
We misconceived their purpose.
idiom
See make a mistake
phrasal verb
See mistake something or someone for something or someone
Quotations
We are built to make mistakes, coded for error [Lewis Thomas – The Medusa and the Snail]The man who makes no mistakes does not usually make anything [Edward John Phelps]
Additional synonyms
in the sense of blunder
Definition
a stupid or clumsy mistake
I think we have made a tactical blunder.
Synonyms
mistake,
slip,
fault,
error,
boob (British, slang),
oversight,
gaffe,
slip-up (informal),
indiscretion,
impropriety,
howler (informal),
bloomer (British, informal),
clanger (informal),
faux pas,
boo-boo (informal),
gaucherie,
barry or Barry Crocker (Australian, slang)
in the sense of fault
It was a genuine fault.
Synonyms
mistake,
slip,
error,
offence,
blunder,
lapse,
negligence,
omission,
boob (British, slang),
oversight,
slip-up,
indiscretion,
inaccuracy,
howler (informal),
glitch (informal),
error of judgment,
boo-boo (informal),
barry or Barry Crocker (Australian, slang)
in the sense of faux pas
Definition
a socially embarrassing action or mistake
She made an embarrassing faux pas.
Synonyms
gaffe,
blunder,
indiscretion,
impropriety,
bloomer (British, informal),
boob (British, slang),
clanger (informal),
solecism,
breach of etiquette,
gaucherie,
barbecue stopper (Australian, informal)
Synonyms of 'mistake'
mistake
Explore 'mistake' in the dictionary
Additional synonyms
in the sense of gaffe
Definition
something said or done that is socially upsetting or incorrect
He made an embarrassing gaffe at the convention last weekend.
Synonyms
blunder,
mistake,
error,
indiscretion,
lapse,
boob (British, slang),
slip-up (informal),
slip,
howler (informal),
bloomer (informal),
clanger (informal),
faux pas,
boo-boo (informal),
solecism,
gaucherie,
barry or Barry Crocker (Australian, slang)
in the sense of howler
Definition
a glaring mistake
I felt as if I had made an outrageous howler.
Synonyms
mistake,
bull (slang),
error,
blunder,
boob (British, slang),
bloomer (British, informal),
clanger (informal),
malapropism,
schoolboy howler,
booboo (informal),
barry or Barry Crocker (Australian, slang),
boner (slang, US)
in the sense of inaccuracy
Definition
an error or mistake
Guard against inaccuracies by checking with a variety of sources.
Synonyms
error,
mistake,
slip,
fault,
defect,
blunder,
lapse,
boob (British, slang),
literal,
howler (informal),
miscalculation,
typo (informal),
erratum,
corrigendum,
barry or Barry Crocker (Australian, slang)
in the sense of misapprehend
Definition
to misunderstand
To see them as mere stereotypes is to misapprehend their significance.
Synonyms
misunderstand,
mistake,
misinterpret,
misread,
misconstrue,
misconceive,
get the wrong idea or impression about
in the sense of misconceive
We misconceived their purpose.
Synonyms
misunderstand,
mistake,
misjudge,
fail to understand,
misconstrue,
get the wrong idea about,
misapprehend,
get your lines crossed about
in the sense of misconception
Definition
a false or mistaken view, idea, or belief
There are many fears and misconceptions about cancer.
Synonyms
delusion,
error,
misunderstanding,
fallacy,
misapprehension,
mistaken belief,
wrong idea,
wrong end of the stick,
misconstruction
in the sense of misconstrue
Definition
to interpret mistakenly
An outsider might misconstrue the nature of the relationship.
Synonyms
misinterpret,
misunderstand,
misjudge,
misread,
mistake,
misapprehend,
get a false impression of,
misconceive,
mistranslate,
get your lines crossed about,
make a wrong interpretation of
in the sense of misinterpret
Definition
to understand or represent something wrongly
The Prince's words had been misinterpreted.
Synonyms
misunderstand,
mistake,
distort,
misrepresent,
misjudge,
falsify,
pervert,
misread,
misconstrue,
get wrong,
misapprehend,
misconceive
in the sense of misunderstanding
Definition
a failure to understand properly
Tell them what you want to avoid misunderstandings.