incorrect
Americanadjective
-
not correct as to fact; inaccurate; wrong.
an incorrect statement.
-
improper, unbecoming, or inappropriate.
incorrect behavior; incorrect attire.
- Synonyms:
- unsuitable
-
not correct in form, use, or manner.
an incorrect copy.
- Synonyms:
- faulty
adjective
-
false; wrong
an incorrect calculation
-
not fitting or proper
incorrect behaviour
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of incorrect
First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English, from Latin incorrectus “not corrected”; equivalent to in- 3 + correct
Explanation
Incorrect things are wrong or mistaken. Driving the incorrect direction on the highway can be dangerous. Turn around! Using the incorrect name when you greet someone (or eating your soup with the incorrect spoon at a fancy dinner) can be embarrassing. A doctor giving you the incorrect diagnosis is never good. When something is correct, it's proper, accurate, truthful, or without errors, and you get incorrect by adding the "not" prefix, in-.
Vocabulary lists containing incorrect
Fake It 'Til You Make It: Synonyms for "False"
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Lesson 4
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Wrong
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Common arm positions used during screenings may make blood pressure appear higher than it actually is, potentially contributing to an incorrect diagnosis of hypertension.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 1, 2026
South Korea's men's volleyball players were forced to cancel their practice on Monday morning after an official bus went to the incorrect place.
From Barron's ● Sep. 29, 2026
The petition argues that the decision was incorrect because mining hadn’t occurred on the property for years prior to 1976, said the alliance’s attorney, Henry Josefberg.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 27, 2026
Mr Justice Rooney granted Anderson temporary release with a number of conditions attached after finding that the prison service's decision was "flawed" and took into account "irrelevant and incorrect factors".
From BBC ● Sep. 20, 2026
I now knew that spelling was incorrect, thanks to Caitlin.
From "I Will Always Write Back" by Caitlin Alifirenka and Martin Ganda
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
