Choosing between mistakingly and mistakenly can be confusing, especially when both words look and sound similar. If you’re wondering about the correct spelling, proper English usage, or the difference between mistakingly and mistakenly, the answer is straightforward: mistakenly is the standard and widely accepted adverb in modern English.Mistakenly means doing something incorrectly, by mistake, or accidentally. For example, you might say, “I mistakenly sent the email to the wrong person.
The word comes from the adjective mistaken, which means wrong or incorrect, combined with the adverbial ending -ly.Although mistakingly occasionally appears in writing, it is uncommon and generally considered nonstandard or awkward in contemporary English. In most situations, especially in formal writing, academic writing, professional communication, and everyday English, you should use mistakenly.
Understanding the difference can help you avoid a common English grammar mistake and make your writing sound more natural. Whether you’re writing an email, essay, article, report, or social media post, choosing the correct word matters.In this guide, we’ll explain mistakenly vs. mistakingly, their meanings, correct usage, examples, and common mistakes so you can confidently use the right form.
Quick Answer: Mistakingly or Mistakenly?
Mistakenly is the form you should normally use.
It means in error, incorrectly, or because of a mistake.
For example:
She mistakenly sent the report to the wrong department.
The alternative mistakingly is also recorded in dictionaries. Merriam-Webster lists it as an adverb, while Dictionary.com identifies it as a word derived from mistake and provides examples from published sources.
The practical difference is therefore one of frequency, familiarity, and style, rather than a simple “real word versus fake word” distinction.
| Form | Status | Best use |
| mistakenly | Standard and widely used | General, professional, academic, and formal writing |
| mistakingly | Attested but uncommon | Usually avoid unless a specific context calls for it |
| by mistake | Standard phrase | Natural conversational alternative |
| incorrectly | Standard adverb | Useful when emphasizing that something was wrong |
| accidentally | Standard adverb | Best when something happened unintentionally |
If you’re writing an email, article, essay, report, or website page, mistakenly is the safest choice.
What Does “Mistakenly” Mean?
Mistakenly is an adverb. It describes an action that happened because someone was wrong, confused, misinformed, or operating under an incorrect assumption.
Merriam-Webster lists mistakenly as an adverb associated with mistake. The underlying verb mistake includes meanings such as misunderstanding something, making a wrong judgment, or identifying someone or something incorrectly.
In simple terms:
Mistakenly = in error or because of a mistake.
For example:
- I mistakenly entered the wrong address.
- She mistakenly thought the store was closed.
- He mistakenly identified the caller.
- They mistakenly believed the meeting started at noon.
- The payment was mistakenly sent twice.
The word often tells the reader why an incorrect action occurred.
Simple Examples of “Mistakenly”
Consider these examples:
Everyday situation:
I mistakenly took your umbrella.
The speaker took the wrong umbrella because they thought it was theirs.
Workplace situation:
The assistant mistakenly attached the old report.
The attachment was wrong because of an error.
Technology situation:
I mistakenly deleted the folder.
The deletion happened because the person made an error.
Belief or assumption:
She mistakenly believed that the appointment was tomorrow.
Here, the mistake involves incorrect information rather than a physical action.
Identification:
The witness mistakenly identified the wrong person.
The person was incorrectly identified.
This last example shows one of the most useful features of mistakenly: it can describe an incorrect judgment or identification, not merely a physical accident.
Why Is “Mistakenly” the Standard Choice?
The answer becomes clearer when you look at the word family.
The verb is mistake.
Its principal forms include:
| Form | Function | Example |
| mistake | Base verb | Don’t mistake kindness for weakness. |
| mistakes | Present tense | He often mistakes one number for another. |
| mistook | Simple past | She mistook him for her brother. |
| mistaken | Past participle/adjective | I was mistaken about the date. |
| mistaking | Present participle | He is mistaking caution for fear. |
| mistakenly | Adverb | He mistakenly entered the wrong room. |
Merriam-Webster specifically gives mistook, mistaken, and mistaking as forms of mistake and lists mistakenly as an adverb.
This helps explain why mistakenly feels natural to most English speakers.
The adverb is associated with mistaken, not simply with the present participle mistaking.
Think of the pattern as:
mistake → mistaken → mistakenly
That sequence is much more useful than trying to construct the adverb mechanically from mistaking.
Is “Mistakingly” a Real Word?
Here’s where the usual spelling advice needs a little correction.
Yes, “mistakingly” is an attested English word.
Merriam-Webster has a dedicated entry for it and defines it as an adverb meaning “in a mistaking manner.”
Dictionary.com also lists mistakingly and provides examples from published sources. Those examples include modern journalism as well as older literary works.
So it isn’t accurate to say:
“Mistakingly is not a word.”
A more accurate statement is:
“Mistakingly exists, but mistakenly is overwhelmingly the more familiar and natural choice in contemporary standard English.”
That’s an important distinction.
English contains many words that dictionaries record even though most speakers rarely use them. Dictionary inclusion tells you that a form exists in the language. It doesn’t necessarily mean that the form is the best stylistic choice in every situation.
Why “Mistakingly” Sounds Unusual
The problem isn’t that mistakingly is impossible to understand.
Most readers can work out its meaning immediately.
The problem is usage familiarity.
When readers see:
She mistakenly sent the message.
the sentence sounds completely ordinary.
When they see:
She mistakingly sent the message.
the meaning is still understandable, but the sentence may feel unusual or awkward.
That’s why professional writers generally choose mistakenly.
Why Do People Write “Mistakingly”?
The confusion has a straightforward grammatical explanation.
English speakers often form adverbs by adding -ly to adjectives:
- quick → quickly
- careful → carefully
- accurate → accurately
- mistaken → mistakenly
Because mistaking is a legitimate form of the verb mistake, a writer may naturally assume:
mistaking + ly = mistakingly
That logic isn’t completely irrational.
After all, mistaking is a real word.
Merriam-Webster lists mistaking as the present participle of mistake.
The issue is that the existence of mistaking doesn’t automatically make mistakingly the preferred adverb for ordinary situations.
There’s another reason the error persists: mistakingly looks semantically plausible.
A reader can see the relationship:
mistake → mistaking → mistakingly
and understand exactly what the writer intended.
That makes the form especially easy to produce.
The “Mistaken” vs. “Mistaking” Problem
Compare these sentences:
I was mistaken about the address.
Here, mistaken describes an incorrect belief.
Now compare:
I was mistaking the address for another one.
Here, mistaking describes an ongoing action of incorrectly identifying something.
Both mistaken and mistaking are legitimate forms, but they serve different grammatical purposes.
The common adverb is built around mistakenly:
I mistakenly entered the wrong address.
That’s the form most writers should reach for.
The Origin of the Word “Mistake”
The history of mistake helps explain why the modern word family contains forms that look quite different.
Merriam-Webster traces mistake to Middle English and gives its first known use in the 14th century.
Dictionary.com traces the word to Middle English mistaken and ultimately connects it with Old Norse mistaka, meaning to take in error.
The basic idea has remained remarkably stable: taking, understanding, identifying, or judging something incorrectly.
Over centuries, English developed several related forms:
- mistake
- mistook
- mistaken
- mistaking
- mistakenly
The word’s history also explains why its forms don’t behave like a simple spelling ladder.
English verbs often preserve older patterns rather than following one perfectly predictable formula. That’s one reason learners should be cautious about assuming that adding -ly to any visible verb form will produce the preferred adverb.
Mistakenly in Everyday Communication
Mistakenly fits naturally into everyday English because mistakes happen everywhere.
You might enter the wrong number, misunderstand a message, grab someone else’s bag, or assume that an appointment is on another day.
The word gives you a concise way to explain the error.
Mistakenly in Professional Emails
Professional communication often requires you to acknowledge errors without making the message unnecessarily dramatic.
For example:
I mistakenly attached the previous version of the document. Please find the corrected file attached.
That’s clear and professional.
Other useful examples include:
- I mistakenly entered the wrong invoice number.
- The message was mistakenly sent to the entire department.
- We mistakenly used the outdated pricing sheet.
- I mistakenly scheduled the meeting for Thursday.
- The file was mistakenly uploaded to the wrong folder.
Notice that mistakenly doesn’t necessarily assign blame.
It simply identifies the action as an error.
That makes it useful in workplace writing where accuracy and diplomacy often need to share the same sentence.
Mistakenly in News Reports
News writing often uses mistakenly when describing an incorrect identification, report, statement, or action.
For example:
The agency mistakenly published the outdated figures.
Or:
The individual was mistakenly identified in the initial report.
The word can be particularly useful when the writer needs to distinguish an error from deliberate conduct.
That’s a subtle but important point.
Compare:
The company published the figures.
with:
The company mistakenly published the figures.
The second sentence tells the reader that the publication resulted from an error.
Mistakenly in Academic Writing
Academic writing can also use mistakenly, especially when describing an incorrect assumption or interpretation.
Examples include:
- The researchers mistakenly assumed that the two samples were identical.
- The earlier study mistakenly classified the material.
- The calculation was mistakenly based on the wrong value.
- The participants mistakenly interpreted the instruction.
However, academic writers should choose words according to the exact claim.
Sometimes incorrectly, in error, or misclassified is more precise.
For example:
The data were incorrectly classified.
may be more specific than:
The data were mistakenly classified.
The best word depends on whether the sentence emphasizes the error, the incorrect result, or the reason for the error.
Mistakenly in Technology and Digital Life
Modern technology creates countless opportunities for mistakes.
A single click can send a message, delete a file, change a setting, or publish information.
That’s why mistakenly appears naturally in digital contexts.
Common technology examples
- I mistakenly deleted the folder.
- She mistakenly blocked the wrong contact.
- He mistakenly entered an old password.
- The administrator mistakenly changed the account settings.
- I mistakenly uploaded the draft instead of the final version.
- The customer mistakenly selected the wrong payment method.
- The notification was mistakenly sent to the wrong user.
Digital communication also highlights the difference between mistakenly and accidentally.
If you selected the wrong account because you misunderstood which one was yours, mistakenly may emphasize the error in judgment.
If your finger slipped and you tapped the wrong button, accidentally may be more natural.
Mistakenly vs. Accidentally
These words overlap, but they aren’t identical.
Mistakenly emphasizes an error or incorrect belief.
Accidentally emphasizes that something happened without intention.
Merriam-Webster defines accidentally as occurring in an accidental or unintended manner.
Compare:
I mistakenly sent the email to John.
This suggests you sent it to John because you thought John was the correct recipient.
Now:
I accidentally sent the email to John.
This emphasizes that you didn’t intend to send it to John.
The difference can be small, but the emphasis changes.
Mistakenly vs. Accidentally Comparison
| Mistakenly | Accidentally |
| Focuses on an error | Focuses on lack of intention |
| Often involves wrong information or judgment | Often involves an unintended action |
| Can involve misunderstanding | Can happen through physical mishap |
| “I mistakenly used the wrong file.” | “I accidentally deleted the file.” |
| “She mistakenly thought it was Monday.” | “She accidentally knocked over the cup.” |
Sometimes both can work.
For example:
I mistakenly clicked the wrong button.
I accidentally clicked the wrong button.
The first emphasizes the error in choosing. The second emphasizes the lack of intention.
Mistakenly vs. Incorrectly vs. Accidentally
Three words often compete for the same space.
Mistakenly
Use mistakenly when an action results from an error, misunderstanding, or wrong assumption.
He mistakenly identified the wrong address.
Incorrectly
Use incorrectly when the main point is that something was wrong or inaccurate.
He entered the address incorrectly.
Accidentally
Use accidentally when something happened unintentionally.
He accidentally deleted the address.
The three sentences describe related situations, but each shines a light on a different part of the event.
| Word | Main emphasis | Example |
| Mistakenly | Error or wrong belief | She mistakenly thought the store was open. |
| Incorrectly | Wrong result or method | She incorrectly entered the code. |
| Accidentally | Lack of intention | She accidentally deleted the code. |
Example Sentences Using “Mistakenly”
Everyday Examples
- I mistakenly took the wrong train.
- She mistakenly called the wrong number.
- He mistakenly left his keys at home.
- We mistakenly thought the restaurant opened earlier.
- They mistakenly believed the road was closed.
Workplace Examples
- I mistakenly attached the wrong document.
- The employee mistakenly entered the wrong amount.
- We mistakenly scheduled two meetings at the same time.
- The invoice was mistakenly sent to the wrong client.
- She mistakenly used last month’s figures.
Technology Examples
- I mistakenly deleted the photo.
- He mistakenly changed the account settings.
- The user mistakenly selected the wrong option.
- She mistakenly uploaded an older file.
- I mistakenly removed the application from my device.
Academic Examples
- The researcher mistakenly interpreted the result.
- The student mistakenly used the wrong formula.
- The study mistakenly classified the samples.
- The calculation was mistakenly based on an outdated figure.
Formal Examples
- The information was mistakenly included in the final report.
- The department mistakenly recorded the payment twice.
- The applicant was mistakenly listed as ineligible.
- The data were mistakenly assigned to the wrong category.
Mistakenly vs. “By Mistake”
Another useful comparison is mistakenly versus by mistake.
Both can describe an error.
Compare:
I mistakenly sent the document to Sarah.
and:
I sent the document to Sarah by mistake.
The meanings are very close.
The difference is mainly structural and stylistic.
Mistakenly is a single adverb.
By mistake is a prepositional phrase.
The second version often feels slightly more conversational:
Sorry, I sent that to you by mistake.
The first can sound a little more formal:
The document was mistakenly sent to the wrong recipient.
Both are useful. Choose the form that fits the sentence.
Common Mistakes With “Mistakenly”
Writing “Mistakingly”
The most common issue is choosing mistakingly when the intended meaning is the ordinary modern sense of mistakenly.
Because mistakingly is attested, calling it an absolute spelling error is too strong. Still, most writers should avoid it because mistakenly is far more familiar and conventional.
Use:
She mistakenly entered the wrong password.
rather than:
She mistakingly entered the wrong password.
The first sounds natural to contemporary readers.
Confusing “Mistaken” and “Mistaking”
These forms are both legitimate, but they aren’t interchangeable.
Mistaken can describe something that is wrong or someone who has reached an incorrect conclusion:
I was mistaken about the date.
Mistaking describes an ongoing action of incorrectly identifying or interpreting something:
She was mistaking politeness for agreement.
The difference becomes clearer when you think about grammar rather than spelling.
Using “Mistakenly” When “Accidentally” Fits Better
Consider:
I accidentally knocked over the glass.
This sounds natural because the event was unintended.
Now:
I mistakenly knocked over the glass.
The sentence is possible, but mistakenly isn’t doing the same job as naturally.
It suggests an error in judgment rather than simply an unintended physical event.
Choosing the right adverb makes your writing more precise.
Overusing “Mistakenly”
Even the correct word can become repetitive.
If a paragraph contains mistakenly several times, consider alternatives where they genuinely preserve the meaning:
- by mistake
- incorrectly
- wrongly
- in error
- unintentionally
- under a false assumption
Don’t replace the word just to avoid repetition. Replace it when the alternative adds a useful shade of meaning.
Why Correct Spelling and Word Choice Matter
A spelling mistake can seem tiny, but repeated errors affect how readers experience a page.
This matters especially in:
- Professional emails
- Academic papers
- Business websites
- News articles
- Educational resources
- Resumes
- Reports
- Marketing copy
When readers encounter an unusual form, they may pause to decide whether the wording is intentional.
That interruption can weaken the flow of otherwise strong writing.
In the case of mistakingly, the issue is particularly interesting because the form actually exists in dictionary records. The challenge isn’t simply “right versus wrong.” It’s choosing the form that contemporary readers are most likely to recognize as natural.
For most situations, that form is mistakenly.
How to Remember “Mistakenly”
A simple memory trick works well:
mistake → mistaken → mistakenly
Think of the common adjective first:
mistaken
Then add -ly:
mistaken + ly = mistakenly
Don’t build the word from:
mistaking + ly
The word mistaking is a legitimate verb form, but it isn’t the form you normally want when creating this common adverb.
Another quick trick is to remember the sentence:
I was mistaken, so I acted mistakenly.
That connects the adjective and adverb naturally.
Mistakingly vs. Mistakenly: Quick Reference
| Question | Answer |
| What is the most standard choice? | Mistakenly |
| Is “mistakingly” attested? | Yes |
| Is “mistakingly” common? | No, it is relatively uncommon |
| What does “mistakenly” mean? | In error or because of a mistake |
| What part of speech is “mistakenly”? | Adverb |
| What is the base verb? | Mistake |
| What is the past tense? | Mistook |
| What is the past participle? | Mistaken |
| What is the present participle? | Mistaking |
| Is “mistakenly” suitable for formal writing? | Yes |
| Is “mistakingly” recommended for most formal writing? | Generally no |
| Can “mistakenly” mean “accidentally”? | Sometimes, but the emphasis differs |
| Is “by mistake” an alternative? | Yes |
| Is “incorrectly” an alternative? | Sometimes, depending on context |
Mistakenly or Mistakingly: Which One Should You Use?
If you’re writing ordinary modern English, use mistakenly.
It’s the form readers are most likely to expect in professional, academic, journalistic, and everyday writing.
That doesn’t mean mistakingly is imaginary. It has dictionary documentation and appears in published usage. Merriam-Webster gives it its own entry, and Dictionary.com records examples from both modern and historical sources.
The practical rule is therefore:
Use “mistakenly” by default. Recognize “mistakingly” as an attested but uncommon form.
This approach is more accurate than simply labeling one spelling “correct” and the other “incorrect.”
Conclusion
Mistakenly is the correct and standard choice in modern English. It means incorrectly, accidentally, or by mistake. While mistakingly can sometimes be found in older or less common usage, it is not the natural choice for standard contemporary English.If you want your grammar, spelling, and word choice to sound clear and professional, use mistakenly. Remember the simple rule: when you mean “by mistake,” choose mistakenly.
FAQs
Is “mistakenly” the correct word?
Yes. Mistakenly is the standard and commonly accepted adverb used to describe something done by mistake or incorrectly.
Is “mistakingly” a word?
“Mistakingly” can be found in some dictionaries or historical texts, but it is uncommon in modern English. Mistakenly is the preferred form.
What does “mistakenly” mean?
Mistakenly means doing something by mistake, incorrectly, or accidentally.
What is an example of “mistakenly”?
An example is: “She mistakenly deleted the important file.”
Should I use “mistakingly” in formal writing?
It is better to avoid it. In formal and professional writing, use mistakenly, which is much more natural and widely recognized.
What is the difference between mistakingly and mistakenly?
The main difference is usage. Mistakenly is the normal standard form, while mistakingly is rare and generally not preferred in contemporary English.
