wrong

[rawng, rong]

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.

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.

wrong

/ 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

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

Other Word Forms

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of wrong¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of wrong¹

Old English wrang injustice, from Old Norse vrang; see _wring

Idioms and Phrases

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.

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.

Example Sentences

And many in the party reckon she is going after the wrong customers and ought to be trying to appeal more to soft liberals or soft Tories, rather than to those interested in Reform.

From BBC

Drivers tackling the madness of westside traffic leading to or from the tangled 405 Freeway will surely empathize with Buggy Bear who looks as if he’s one wrong turn away from having a traffic-induced meltdown.

From Los Angeles Times

In fact, ever since that 2024 winter of discontent, news conferences, articles and the narrative of pretty much every game they have played has been dominated by what had gone so badly wrong before.

From BBC

People who knew the family were perplexed at what went wrong.

From Los Angeles Times

In his own letter to the judge ahead of his sentencing Friday, Combs said he was taking “full responsibility and accountability” for his “past wrongs,” and apologized for the pain he’s caused others.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

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