Misidentify: meaning, definitions and examples

Misidentify is used when you incorrectly recognize or name someone or something. It's often used in formal or official situations.

• The security cameras misidentified the suspect
• The scientist misidentified the specimen

Confuse is often used when you mix things up in your mind or make mistakes because things seem similar or unclear. This word is common in both everyday language and less formal contexts.

• I always confuse their names
• The complicated instructions confused me

Mistake is a general term used when you do something wrong or choose incorrectly. It can be used both formally and informally.

• I mistook him for his brother
• She mistook the salt for sugar

Mislabel is typically used when something is given the wrong label or name, often referring to products, items, or data. This word is frequently used in contexts related to business, science, or data.

• The bottles were mislabeled at the factory
• The map mislabels the river's name