under the false impression that

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "under the false impression that" is correct and usable in written English. You can use it when describing a situation where someone believes something that is not true. Example: She was under the false impression that the meeting was canceled. Alternative expressions include "mistakenly believing that" and "under the misconception that."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Academia

Wiki

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

27 human-written examples

In the summer of 1998, the park service had just received some alarming news: According to one survey, the vast majority of Americans were under the false impression that Smokey Bear worked for the National Park Service and not the Forest Service.

The New York Times - Magazine

Although many successful women have a mentor or coach, others are under the false impression that seeking the counsel of someone with more experience isn't necessary.

Forbes

Like I said, I was pretty naïve about the whole online dating thing, and for some reason was under the false impression that Match.com offered free trials.

Huffington Post

I was under the false impression that beauty was in the eye of the beholder.

The New Yorker

Westlands was also under the false impression that Rawlinson was a chief examiner.

The Guardian

I was under the false impression that both the United States and Israel wanted democracy in the Middle East.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

33 human-written examples

The Gore campaign charged in a statement that "using Washington-fuzzy math, Bush tried to create the false impression that under Clinton-Gore the budget on the war on drugs had been slashed".

The New York Times

Rep. Cooper believed such an award was needed to counter the false impression that odd- sounding research was not useful.

Columbia University

Empathy-washing initiatives create the false impression that the crisis is under control, with individual ingenuity, finally unlocked by privatised technologies, compensating for the rapidly deteriorating situation on the ground.

The Guardian - Opinion

This gave the false impression that it enjoyed official backing.

The Economist

The bogus trades gave the false impression that his portfolio was well balanced.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Follow the phrase with a complete clause (subject + verb) to clearly define the specific nature of the error.

Common error

Avoid pairing this phrase with other adjectives like wrong or incorrect, as in "under the false wrong impression that". The word false already conveys the error, making additional descriptors redundant.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "under the false impression that" serves as a prepositional phrase acting as an adverbial or adjectival modifier. It establishes a state of being where the subject's perception does not align with reality. Ludwig AI confirms this as a standard and correct construction for describing cognitive errors.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

65%

Formal & Business

15%

Academia

10%

Less common in

Wiki

5%

Science

3%

Social Media

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "under the false impression that" is a robust and effective phrase for describing instances where someone is mistaken. According to Ludwig AI and the numerous high-quality examples provided, it is particularly prevalent in News & Media and Formal & Business writing. It allows a writer to pinpoint an error in perception clearly and diplomatically. For more active writing, consider alternatives like mistakenly believing that, but for a formal description of a mental state, the original phrase remains a top choice for authors at publications like The New York Times and The Economist.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

mistakenly believing that

Uses a participle phrase for a more direct action rather than a state of being.

under the mistaken belief that

Swaps impression for belief, suggesting a more deeply held conviction.

under the misconception that

More academic or clinical tone focusing on the nature of the misunderstanding.

falsely assuming that

Focuses on the act of assumption rather than the resulting mental state.

erroneously thinking that

More formal and highlights the error in the thought process.

operating on the false premise that

Specifically used when the error serves as the foundation for further logic or actions.

laboring under the delusion that

Much stronger and often implies a persistent or more significant mental error.

misled into thinking that

Implies an external cause or agent for the incorrect belief.

nurturing the false idea that

Suggests the subject is actively maintaining or encouraging the error.

convinced of the untruth that

Emphasizes the level of certainty the subject feels despite being wrong.

FAQs

How do I use "under the false impression that" in a sentence?

You can use it to describe someone's misunderstanding, for example: "He was "under the false impression that" the meeting had been canceled".

What is a more formal way to say "under the false impression that"?

A more formal or clinical alternative would be "under the misconception that" or "laboring under the delusion that" for extreme cases.

Is it correct to say "under the false impression of"?

While used, it is much more common and grammatically fluid to use the version with that, as it allows for a full explanatory clause. Instead of "the false impression of success", try ""under the false impression that" success was imminent".

Can I use "mistakenly believing that" instead?

Yes, "mistakenly believing that" is an excellent, more active alternative that carries the same meaning.