misidentify
verb
mis·iden·ti·fy
ˌmis-ī-ˈden-tə-ˌfī 
-ə-ˈden-
misidentified; misidentifying
: to identify (someone or something) incorrectly
… a coroner apparently misidentified the bullet he removed from the victim, stating that its caliber differed from that of the bullet entered as evidence against the known shooter.—
David Fisher
David FisherWhile examining the American Museum's collection, I came across a mongoose specimen that was clearly misidentified.—W. Chris Wozencraft
W. Chris WozencraftExamples of misidentify in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Physicians often misidentify stiff person syndrome as Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis, fibromyalgia, or anxiety.
—Becky Upham, EverydayHealth.com, 27 June 2024
But the authors of the new study write that past work overestimated the extent of rock gardens by misidentifying roads, lava flows and vegetation for arable land.
—Will Sullivan, Smithsonian Magazine, 25 June 2024
People commonly misidentify that part of their bodies.
—Kelly Hoover Greenway, Health, 19 June 2024
The case drew headlines because the NYPD’s aggressive social media posts were full of misinformation, including misidentifying the judge.
—Eliza Orlins, New York Daily News, 15 Mar. 2024
See all Example Sentences for misidentify 
Becky Upham, EverydayHealth.com, 27 June 2024
But the authors of the new study write that past work overestimated the extent of rock gardens by misidentifying roads, lava flows and vegetation for arable land.
—Will Sullivan, Smithsonian Magazine, 25 June 2024
People commonly misidentify that part of their bodies.
—Kelly Hoover Greenway, Health, 19 June 2024
The case drew headlines because the NYPD’s aggressive social media posts were full of misinformation, including misidentifying the judge.
—Eliza Orlins, New York Daily News, 15 Mar. 2024
See all Example Sentences for misidentify
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'misidentify.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near misidentify
Cite this Entry
“Misidentify.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/misidentify. Accessed 15 Jul. 2024.
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