intentional mistake

[ɪnˈtɛnʃənəl mɪˈsteɪk]
nounpl: intentional mistakes
erro intencional
1. A deliberate or purposeful error made with conscious intent, rather than by accident or negligence
The teacher planted an intentional mistake in the test to see if students were paying attention.
O professor colocou um erro intencional na prova para ver se os alunos estavam prestando atenção.
2. An action that appears to be an error but was done on purpose, often to deceive, test, or demonstrate something
His intentional mistake in the speech was meant to provoke discussion among the audience.
Seu erro intencional no discurso foi feito para provocar discussão entre o público.
3. A deliberate act performed to appear as if something went wrong unintentionally
She made an intentional mistake to avoid suspicion that she had memorized the script.
Ela cometeu um erro intencional para evitar suspeita de que tinha memorizado o roteiro.
In both American and Brazilian contexts, intentional mistakes are commonly used in educational settings as pedagogical tools, in negotiation tactics, or in performance arts. The term is neutral but often implies a degree of sophistication or cunning on the part of the person making the mistake. In Brazilian Portuguese, this concept is frequently discussed in academic and professional environments when discussing test design or interview techniques.
NYC Slang
on purpose mess-up
Synonyms / Sinônimos
deliberate mistakepurposeful errorcalculated blunderstrategic errorfeigned mistake
Antonyms / Antônimos
unintentional mistakeaccidental errorinadvertent mistakeunintended error

Regional Variations

General Brazilian
erro intencional
Standard usage throughout Brazil
Rio de Janeiro
erro de propósito
More colloquial alternative
São Paulo
erro intencional
Formal and standard usage
Portugal
erro intencional
Same as Brazilian Portuguese; alternative: 'engano proposital'

Related Words

intentionaldeliberatedeceptionstrategicpurposefulconscious errorfabricated mistake

Related Idioms & Phrases

a calculated mistake
a strategic blunder
to throw someone off intentionally
to plant an error
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