mistaken

1. 1
   adjective

   Holding a belief or opinion that turns out to be incorrect.

   She was mistaken in believing the deadline had already passed.

   Many people are mistaken about how the immune system actually works.

   Similarwrong, misinformed, misguided, incorrect

   Oppositeright, correct

   Note

   A predicate adjective that follows be or another linking verb and describes a person, not a claim. About introduces the topic of the error (mistaken about the budget numbers). In plus an -ing form gives the content of the wrong belief (mistaken in believing). To strengthen it, English reaches for much or very much rather than piling on adjectives: you must be very much mistaken.

2. 2
   adjective

   Incorrect or grounded in an error.

   Her conclusion rested on a mistaken assumption about the data.

   The arrest turned out to be a case of mistaken identity.

   Similarwrong, incorrect, erroneous, false, faulty

   Oppositecorrect, right, accurate, sound

   Note

   Here the error belongs to a thing, such as an assumption, a belief or an identity, rather than to the person holding it, and the adjective typically stands before its noun. A mistaken sense of loyalty is real loyalty aimed the wrong way, so the word can mean misplaced as much as false. When a person is the one in error, the word shifts to the sense of wrong belief.

3. 3
   verb

   Past participle of mistake.

   She had mistaken the salt for sugar while baking.

   He was mistaken for his twin brother by half the guests.

   Note

   The participle carries the verb's core idea of taking one thing or person for another, so it usually travels with for: she had mistaken the salt for sugar. After have it forms perfect tenses, and after be it forms the passive. Watch the look-alike: was mistaken for my brother is passive, while was mistaken about the date is the adjective of wrong belief. The preposition tells you which one you have.

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