astray
Americanadverb
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out of the right way; off the correct or known road, path, or route.
Despite specific instructions, they went astray and got lost.
-
away from that which is right; into error, confusion, or undesirable action or thought.
They were led astray by their lust for money.
adjective
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out of the correct path or direction
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out of the right, good, or expected way; into error
Etymology
Origin of astray
1250–1300; Middle English astraye < Anglo-French *astraié, Old French estraié, past participle of estraier; stray
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.
They likely are wasting their time: the data these early birds obtain don’t provide an advantage — and may actually lead them astray.
From MarketWatch
And that schism is not because rural voters misunderstand their “self-interest” or because racial dog whistles have led them astray.
From Salon
Nearly 250 years later, as we continue to debate what the Founders intended, we may find at times that we’ve been led astray by legend, hornswoggled by hand-me-down history.
From Los Angeles Times
While Atencio had once dreamed of being a journalist, his work as an animator had led him astray of a writer’s path.
From Los Angeles Times
Allen’s approach is blunt and blistering: “I’m here for validation and I probably should explain/ How my marriage has been opened since my husband went astray.”
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.
