Phrase Usage – Is It Correct to Say ‘I Pressed the Wrong Button in Panic/ in Confusion’?

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I had this situation today.

I went into an elevator while a man was running towards the elevator. According to "elevator etiquette", I was supposed to press the button "<>" to keep the door open.

But I couldn't tell the difference between "<>" and "><" and I got confused or fussy when I had to decide to press "<>" or "><" in a few second and I got it wrong. I pressed the button "><", which closes the elevator door faster, and the poor man just missed getting into it.

I felt bad after that mistake.

Is it correct to say "I pressed the wrong button in panic/ in confusion"?

Or do we have a common word to express that state?

Best Answer

Neither 'panic' nor 'confusion' are used quite the way you write. We would say:

  • I pressed the wrong button in a panic
  • I pressed the wrong button out of confusion
    or
  • I pressed the wrong button in my/the confusion

You could also use the adverb 'confusedly', although this is not as common:

  • I confusedly pressed the wrong button.
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