In English, there are some phrases or expressions that have a figurative or non-literal meaning that can’t be understood by looking at the meaning of the individual words.
These are called idioms. The phrase “barked up the wrong tree” is an example.
It means to make the wrong choice, to blame the wrong person, or to follow the wrong course.
There are other simpler ways to say “barked up the wrong tree” and you will learn up to twenty alternatives in this article and how to use them.
Key Takeaways
- The phrase “Went off base” simply means to be wrong or to rely on a mistaken premise. So, it’s a perfect replacement for the idiom “barked up the wrong tree.”
- You can use “a dead end” if the action of the person led to no hope of making progress.
- To sound fancy in a formal setting, you can say “travelled up the wrong alley”. It means engaging in an effort that will not produce results which is the core interpretation of “barked up the wrong tree.”
There are many situations where you’d want to tell someone they barked up the wrong tree. And the situation will determine the kind of alternative phrase you will use instead.
It all begins with actually understanding what this idiom means and how it is used. With such knowledge, it will be easier to pick a replacement for it based on your scenario.
What Does It Mean to Bark Up The Wrong Tree?
In hunting, when dogs help track animals like squirrels, the animals might climb trees to escape.
Dogs, unable to climb, will bark at the tree to signal where the animal is hiding. But sometimes, the dog gets it wrong—either because the animal moved to a different tree or the dog got confused.
When this happens, the dog is “barking up the wrong tree.”
This allusion birthed the interpretation of the phrase, which means drawing the wrong conclusion or acting on a mistake.
But there are simpler and even more creative ways to communicate the same idea.
List of Other Ways To Say “Barked Up The Wrong Tree”
- Went off base
- Wide of the mark
- A dead end
- A wild goose chase
- On the wrong path
- Looked in the wrong place
- Misguided
- Mistaken
- On the wrong side of the fence
- Travelled up a blind alley
- On a fool’s errand
- Chased rainbows
- Followed a red herring
- Out of line
- Off the rails
- Headed in the wrong direction
- A hail Mary pass
- A long shot
- Chased a wild goose
- A gamble
Don’t be in a hurry to go for any of the suggestions. Since “barked up the wrong tree” can mean different things, so would each of the suggestions.
For example, some are more for expressing taking on more than you can handle, while some lean towards the interpretation of being misguided.
In the sections below, we explain the different scenarios where each of these phrases are best suited.
1. Went off base
The phrase “went off base” is an idiom like “barked up the wrong tree” and they share similar meanings too.
When someone goes off base, it means they are making false assumptions or conclusions based on a mistaken premise.
Also, this alternative phrase is a perfect one to use when the person is being arrogant despite being ignorant of their wrong.
You can use this phrase during an argument to call out the person’s misinformed idea.
2. Wide of the mark
Another interesting alternative phrase you can use instead of “barking up the wrong tree” is “wide of the mark.”
It’s the kind of phrase you use when someone makes a projection that is incorrect or inaccurate.
For this reason, “wide of the mark” is a more specific way to say someone is barking up the wrong tree.
3. A dead end
“A dead end” is a common phrase in English. While it’s also an idiom, it means a situation that has no hope of making progress. This is exactly what “barking up the wrong tree” means.
So both phrases go hand in hand.
QUICK TIP:
- Many people use “dead end” when referring to an end of a road or passage from which no exit is possible. That’s not the context of usage here.
4. A wild goose chase
Is the person searching for something that does not exist or is somewhere else, thus making their pursuit a complete waste of time? Then it’s more accurate to say they are on a wild goose chase.
This idiom shares similar meaning with “barking up the wrong tree” but it has more effect and leans towards jabbing someone for attempting something fertile.
People spend time looking for something superficial or unobtainable. It’s accurate to tell them they are on a wild goose chase instead of saying they are barking up the wrong tree.
5. On the wrong path
Being on the wrong path can be both literal and figurative. If the person is walking down the wrong direction based on mistaken description, you can tell them they are on the wrong path. It sounds clearer than telling them they are barking up the wrong tree.
This alternative phrase can also be figurative. The person might have made a bad life decision (career, marriage, academics etc) such that it has brought a negative turn of events in their life.
In such a case, it’s also correct to tell them they are on the wrong path.
6. Looked in the wrong place
Sometimes, you might want to say “barking up the wrong tree” when someone is looking for something in the wrong place. However, since idioms can sometimes be misunderstood, you could use a more straightforward phrase instead.
This is why “looked in the wrong place” works well as a substitute for “barking up the wrong tree.”
That said, this alternative has its limitations. It’s not suitable for situations where the context involves making decisions based on a wrong assumption.
7. Misguided
Do you prefer a direct, one-word alternative way to say “barked up the wrong tree”? Then consider replacing it with “misguided”
Oxford English Dictionary defines “misguided” as having or showing faulty judgement. This is the core interpretation of barking up the wrong tree so both phrases go hand in hand.
You can use “misguided” when the person is facing the repercussions of basing their actions on bad judgement or on wrong information or beliefs.
8. Mistaken
Many people want to use “barking up the wrong tree” when referring to misunderstanding or faulty judgement. If you want a simpler alternative for the phrase in such a context, then “mistaken” is a fantastic choice.
It’s easy to understand and a clearer way to tell someone that they are wrong about something.
9. On the wrong side of the fence
There’s nothing grammatically wrong in using an idiom to replace another idiom when communicating, as long as it drives home the point and is clearer.
Instead of telling someone they are barking up the wrong tree, tell them they are “on the wrong side of the fence.”
Being on the wrong side of the fence is a figurative statement which means someone has the wrong idea in an argument. It’s similar to the idea behind barking up the wrong tree which is why both statements can be used interchangeably.
QUICK TIP:
- We recommend using “one the wrong side of the fence” when it’s a debate or argument situation.
10. Up a blind alley
“Up a blind alley” is another perfect replacement for “barking up the wrong tree.”
It means the person is doing something that will surely lead to an undesirable outcome.
Many people prefer to use this phrase when advising someone against doing something. For example, you could say “I keep telling you to stop chasing after Joe. You’re just going up a blind alley!”
11. On a fool’s errand
If you want to sound more reprimanding, it’s better to use a more jabbing phrase. So you can say the person went on a fool’s errand. It sounds better than they barked up the wrong tree.
Merriam Webster Dictionary defines being on a fool’s errand as engaging in a task or activity that has no hope of success.
It has a slight relationship with the definition of barking up the wrong tree but the fool’s errand sounds more creative.
12. Chased rainbows
Another interesting way you can communicate the idea behind “barked up the wrong tree” is to tell the person they chased rainbows.
It’s simple, straightforward and easy to understand. But it’s also an idiom. So be sure that the person has a decent understanding of figurative expression before using it.
The idiom “chasing rainbows” means to try to achieve something that’s unrealistic or impossible. People do this alot when choosing a career path instead of facing their current realities.
13. Followed a red herring
A red herring is something designed to distract a person’s attention from the real problem.
So when someone follows a red herring, it’s the same thing as barking up the wrong tree.
This is a practical alternative phrase to use especially when someone seems to be more focused on something else when they fail to recognize the actual cause of a problem or culprit of a crime.
14. Out of line
There’s no direct relationship between the meaning of “barked up a wrong tree” and “out of line” but there are some scenarios where this would be the perfect replacement.
“Out of line” is an idiom in English which means something is beyond what is reasonable or allowable.
For example, someone’s behaviour can be out of line. Even the price quoted by a plumber can be way out of line compared to average rates.
So, this alternative phrase effectively replaces “barked up the wrong tree” in cases where you want to call out something or someone being different due to ignorance.
15. Off the rails
“Off the rails” is an idiom that generally means behaving in an uncontrolled or unacceptable way.
You can use this alternative phrase instead of “barking up the wrong tree” especially when someone is behaving in an unacceptable way instead of following the right channel to address an issue or achieve something.
16. Headed in the wrong direction
If you want to sound simple and clear, it’s best to avoid any form of idiomatic expression. Just tell the person, “you headed in the wrong direction.”
This phrase plainly communicates the idea of barking up the wrong tree and you wouldn’t have to provide any additional information to explain what you mean.
“You headed in the wrong direction” sounds better for cases where the person took the wrong route looking for an address. But it can also apply to making wrong life decisions.
17. A hail Mary pass
A Hail Mary pass is a term derived from an American football game.
It is when a player makes a very long forward pass (usually out of desperation) with a small chance of achieving a completion.
The figurative interpretation of someone who made a hail mary pass is that they followed the wrong indicator out of desperation in the hope of getting a result that will eventually not come.
So it’s a perfect replacement for “barked up the wrong tree” especially if you want to stick with using idioms.
18. A long shot
You can call something a long shot if it has slim chances of being successful. It means the effort made was done with faith and it’s left to luck or faith for it to succeed.
This is usually because you followed the wrong path to make the effort. So saying “long short” is more specific than “barking up the wrong tree.”
19. Chased a wild goose
“Chased a wild goose” is an idiom that shares similar meaning with “barking up the wrong tree”
People spend time looking for something superficial or unobtainable. It’s accurate to tell them they are on a wild goose chase instead of saying they are barking up the wrong tree.
20. A gamble
If you really understand the meaning of barking up the wrong tree, then you agree that someone in such a situation is making a gamble because they are unaware of the accuracy of their decision.
So “made a gamble” is a simpler and brief alternative for “barked up the wrong tree.”
Closing Remarks
“Barked up the wrong tree” is a very interesting idiom in english. It was commonly used by writers of western life and tales. You will see it in the literature of James Hall, David Crockett, and Albert Pike.
In the above article, we’ve looked into twenty different ways you can tell someone they’ve barked up the wrong tree.
To choose the perfect replacement, it begins from understanding what the idiom means. We recommend choosing alternative phrases that aren’t idioms, especially for people with no deep knowledge of the English language.
