wrong

American  

[rawng, rong] / rɔŋ, rɒŋ /

adjective

1. not in accordance with what is morally right or good.

   a wrong deed.

   Synonyms:

   crooked, reprehensible, iniquitous, immoral, sinful, wicked, evil, bad

2. deviating from truth or fact; erroneous.

   a wrong answer.

   Synonyms:

   mistaken, untrue, false, incorrect, inaccurate

3. not correct in action, judgment, opinion, method, etc., as a person; in error.

   You are wrong to blame him.

4. not proper or usual; not in accordance with requirements or recommended practice.

   the wrong way to hold a golf club.

5. out of order; awry; amiss.

   Something is wrong with the machine.

6. not suitable or appropriate.

   He always says the wrong thing.

   Synonyms:

   unsuitable, improper

7. (of clothing) that should be worn or kept inward or under.

   You're wearing the sweater wrong side out.

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noun

1. that which is wrong, or not in accordance with morality, goodness, or truth; evil.

   I committed many wrongs.

   Synonyms:

   vice, sin, wickedness, immorality, misdeed

2. an injustice.

   The wrongs they suffered aged them.

3. Law.

   1. an invasion of another's right, to his damage.

   2. a tort.

adverb

1. in a wrong manner; not rightly; awry; amiss.

   You did it wrong again.

verb (used with object)

1. to do wrong to; treat unfairly or unjustly; harm.

   Synonyms:

   dishonor, defraud, cheat, oppress, abuse, maltreat

2. to impute evil to (someone) unjustly; malign.

idioms

1. go wrong,

   1. to go amiss; fail.

      Everything is going wrong today.

   2. to pursue an immoral course; become depraved.

      Bad friends caused him to go wrong.

2. get in wrong, to cause to come into disfavor.

   We are forever getting in wrong with the people next door.

3. in the wrong, to blame; in error.

   He knew he was in the wrong but refused to concede the point.

wrong British  

/ rɒŋ /

adjective

1. not correct or truthful

   the wrong answer

2. acting or judging in error

   you are wrong to think that

3. (postpositive) immoral; bad

   it is wrong to cheat

4. deviating from or unacceptable to correct or conventional laws, usage, etc

5. not intended or wanted

   the wrong road

6. (postpositive) not working properly; amiss

   something is wrong with the engine

7. (of a side, esp of a fabric) intended to face the inside so as not to be seen

8. informal to come into disfavour with

9. (of food) to pass into the windpipe instead of the gullet

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adverb

1. in the wrong direction or manner

2. 1. to turn out other than intended

   2. to make a mistake

   3. (of a machine, etc) to cease to function properly

   4. to go astray morally

3. 1. to fail to understand properly

   2. to fail to provide the correct answer to

noun

1. a bad, immoral, or unjust thing or action

2. law

   1. an infringement of another person's rights, rendering the offender liable to a civil action, as for breach of contract or tort

      a private wrong

   2. a violation of public rights and duties, affecting the community as a whole and actionable at the instance of the Crown

      a public wrong

3. mistaken or guilty

verb

1. to treat unjustly

2. to discredit, malign, or misrepresent

3. to seduce or violate

wrong More Idioms  

1. see back the wrong horse; bark up the wrong tree; do someone wrong; get someone wrong; get up on the wrong side of bed; go wrong; in the wrong; on the right (wrong) foot; on the right (wrong) tack; right (wrong) side of the tracks; rub the wrong way; take the wrong way; two wrongs do not make a right.

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Other Word Forms

• quasi-wrong adjective
• wronger noun
• wrongly adverb
• wrongness noun

Etymology

Origin of wrong

First recorded before 1100; (adjective) Middle English wrong, wrang, Old English wrang, perhaps from Old Danish wrang; compare Danish vrang “wrong,” Old Norse rangr “awry”; (verb and adverb) Middle English, derivative of the adjective; (noun) Middle English; Old English wrang, derivative of adjective; akin to wring

Example Sentences

The update was the administration’s only public acknowledgment that something had gone wrong.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 4, 2026

The sisters believe their father did not have a final removal order or a warrant for his arrest and that he was simply at the wrong place at the wrong time.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 3, 2026

“Even if you intend to do a limited operation, you don’t know if it’s actually going to be limited. If things go wrong, it could end up being significantly longer,” Kavanagh told Salon.

From Salon • Apr. 3, 2026

He said he asked the authorities "what is wrong with us?" that they couldn't live with the newcomers.

From BBC • Apr. 3, 2026

“But Liz,” Corrie told her, “you’re looking at the wrong side!”

From "The Hiding Place" by Corrie ten Boom

Related Words

• abuse
• bias
• blunder
• crime
• error
• evil
• grievance
• harm
• inequity
• injustice
• insult
• misdeed
• mistake
• prejudice
• slight
• transgression
• violation
• wrongdoing