Bark up the wrong tree — to pursue the wrong course of action; to make an incorrect assumption about a person or situation. You are looking in the wrong place or blaming the wrong person.
Origin & History
The idiom comes from 19th-century American hunting. Hunting dogs would chase animals up trees and bark at them. If the quarry escaped to a different tree while the dog continued barking at the first one, the dog was literally barking up the wrong tree. The earliest figurative uses in print date from the early 1800s.
The phrase captures the idea of wasted effort caused by a wrong assumption — working hard but in entirely the wrong direction.
Example Sentences
| Sentence | Context |
|---|---|
| If you think I took your keys, you're barking up the wrong tree. | Defending oneself from blame |
| The police were barking up the wrong tree — the real culprit was never suspected. | Investigation gone wrong |
| I think you're barking up the wrong tree with this marketing strategy. | Business advice |
| She spent months barking up the wrong tree before finding the actual cause. | Problem-solving |
| You're barking up the wrong tree if you expect him to apologise first. | Interpersonal expectation |
Use It in Conversation
Dialogue Example
Lee: I think the budget problem is caused by the marketing department spending too much.
Sam: You might be barking up the wrong tree. The real issue is the logistics costs — I've seen the numbers.
Lee: Really? Then we need to look at that instead.
How to Use It
This idiom is most often used to tell someone they have made a wrong assumption. It can be used in the present continuous ("you're barking up the wrong tree") or past continuous ("they were barking up the wrong tree"). It is often used to redirect attention or defend oneself.
Common Mistakes
Mistakes to Avoid
You are barking the wrong tree.
You are barking up the wrong tree. — Always include 'up'.
You are barking up a wrong tree.
You are barking up the wrong tree. — Use 'the wrong tree', not 'a wrong tree'.