I incorrectly believed that

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "I incorrectly believed that" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when you want to express that your previous belief was wrong or mistaken. Example: "I incorrectly believed that the meeting was scheduled for Friday instead of Thursday."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

60 human-written examples

This "drift" back to the beginning of the task was intentionally designed to give the system an opportunity to correct itself if it incorrectly believed that the user had completed the task.

BMC Geriatrics

Many incorrectly believed that the appearance of cooked meats was an indicator of safety, and that a food thermometer was unnecessary.

Food Control

When asked to identify the correct way to diagnose pediatric delirium, 11.4% of nurses surveyed (12/105) incorrectly believed that Glasgow Coma Score is the appropriate screening tool.

Journal of Pediatric Nursing

At the time, Papadopoulos incorrectly believed that the Russian woman was a niece of Putin, according to court documents.

The Washington Post

All this came at a time when polling showed that nearly one-fifth of Americans incorrectly believed that Obama was Muslim, up from about one-tenth a year earlier.

Encyclopedia Britannica

The judges, who included Siméon-Denis Poisson, did not understand what Galois had written and (incorrectly) believed that it contained a significant error.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Inspired by the great success of conic sections in these settings, Galileo incorrectly believed that a hanging chain would take the shape of a parabola.

Encyclopedia Britannica

They incorrectly believed that it would run from $2,250 to $3,600, the figures emphasized in brochures published by the government and insurance companies.

The New York Times

Nor was a photograph of the former Conservative party treasurer shown to Steve Messham, the man who incorrectly believed that the peer had abused him in the 1970s when he was a child in the North Wales care home system.

The Guardian

Sixty-three percent incorrectly believed that poor and middle-class families were primarily affected by the tax, even though it applied only to estates exceeding $5 million at the time the survey was administered.

The Washington Post

The experiment, done on both female and male hiring managers showed that when the hiring manager had no other information other than a candidate's gender, they were twice as likely to hire a man than a woman, because they incorrectly believed that men are more talented in science and math, the researchers found.

Columbia University

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "I incorrectly believed that" to clearly and directly state that a past belief you held was inaccurate. This provides transparency and avoids ambiguity.

Common error

While grammatically sound, overuse of "I incorrectly believed that" can make your writing sound repetitive. Vary your sentence structure by using alternatives like "I mistakenly thought" or "I was under the impression that" to enhance readability.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "I incorrectly believed that" functions as a statement of revised understanding. It introduces a clause expressing a past belief now recognized as inaccurate. While Ludwig AI deems the phrase grammatically sound, its utility lies in openly acknowledging a prior misconception.

Expression frequency: Missing

Frequent in

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Less common in

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Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "I incorrectly believed that" serves as a direct and clear way to acknowledge a past misunderstanding. According to Ludwig AI, the phrase is grammatically correct and usable in written English. While there are many alternative phrases that exist to express the same meaning, it's important to vary your sentence structure with synonyms such as "I mistakenly thought that" or "I was under the impression that".

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

I mistakenly thought that

Replaces "incorrectly believed" with "mistakenly thought", implying a similar error in understanding but with slightly different emphasis.

I was under the mistaken impression that

Conveys the idea of holding a false belief with a more formal tone.

I erroneously assumed that

Substitutes "incorrectly believed" with "erroneously assumed", suggesting a flawed premise led to the wrong conclusion.

I had the wrong idea that

A more casual way of expressing a mistaken belief.

I was wrong in thinking that

Directly states the error in thinking, simplifying the original phrase.

I wrongly supposed that

Similar to "erroneously assumed", but with a slightly less formal tone.

It turned out I was wrong about

Shifts the focus to the realization of being wrong, rather than the initial belief.

I had it wrong when I believed that

A more emphatic way of admitting a mistaken belief.

I falsely concluded that

Focuses on the incorrect conclusion drawn, rather than the belief itself.

I misconstrued the situation and thought that

Highlights the misinterpretation of a situation leading to the wrong belief.

FAQs

What can I say instead of "I incorrectly believed that"?

You can use alternatives like "I mistakenly thought that", "I was under the impression that", or "I erroneously assumed that" depending on the context.

How do I use "I incorrectly believed that" in a sentence?

The phrase is typically followed by a 'that' clause explaining the incorrect belief. For example, "I incorrectly believed that the meeting was on Tuesday".

Is it better to say "incorrectly believed" or "mistakenly believed"?

Both are acceptable. "Incorrectly believed" is slightly more formal, while "mistakenly believed" is more conversational. The best choice depends on the tone of your writing.

What's the difference between "I incorrectly believed that" and "I used to believe that"?

"I incorrectly believed that" emphasizes the error in the past belief. "I used to believe that" simply indicates a change in belief without necessarily implying it was wrong.