misidentify
verbUK /ˌmɪs.aɪˈden.tɪ.faɪ/
US /ˌmɪs.aɪˈden.tə.faɪ/
To think something is a different thing than it really is.
The witness misidentified the thief in the lineup.
RELATED WORDS
OTHER MEANINGS
2. To give the wrong name to a plant, animal, or object.
The hiker misidentified the mushroom as safe to eat.
3. To wrongly recognize a person as someone else.
She misidentified the stranger as her old friend.
4. To label something incorrectly in a report or record.
The clerk misidentified the package's destination.