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, wickedness, immorality, misdeed, sin

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. get on the wrong side of informal.
   get on the wrong side ofget in wrong with to come into disfavour with
9. go down the wrong way
   go down the wrong way (of food) to pass into the windpipe instead of the gullet

adverb

1. in the wrong direction or manner
2. go wrong
   go wrong
   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. get wrong
   get wrong
   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. in the wrong
   in the wrong mistaken or guilty

verb

1. to treat unjustly
2. to discredit, malign, or misrepresent
3. to seduce or violate

Derived Forms

• ˈwrongly, adverb
• ˈwrongness, noun
• ˈwronger, noun

Other Words From

• wronger noun
• wrongly adverb
• wrongness noun
• quasi-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. get in wrong, Slang. to cause to come into disfavor:

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

2. 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.

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

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

More idioms and phrases containing wrong

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

Wharton School professor Adam Grant has spent a lot of time studying what’s wrong with job interviews.

From Quartz

It was generated by researchers to illustrate what can go wrong when you try to classify people as responders or non-responders based on a single set of measurements.

From Outside Online

Rather, the history of science is full of mistakes and wrong turns.

From Science News For Students

Hemmerling emailed the person back saying she had been ticketed under the wrong code section and would not have to pay or go to court.

From Voice of San Diego

Most of us, most of the time, think and act as though there are facts about good and bad, right and wrong.

From Nautilus

But Cosby Truthers are applying their principles to the wrong cause.

From The Daily Beast

Andy Serkis, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes Do you want to be on the wrong side of history, Academy?

From The Daily Beast

Yes, publicizing tragedy gets clicks, gets ad revenue, gets notoriety, and can be done for all the wrong reasons.

From The Daily Beast

Too bad director Ava DuVernay gets the history wrong in Selma.

From The Daily Beast

The only great thing he did as governor was to insist that the death penalty was just wrong.

From The Daily Beast

He asked what time was usually spent in determining between right and wrong, and what degree of expense?

From Project Gutenberg

To see a part of my scheme, from which I had hoped so much, go wrong before my eyes is maddening!

From Project Gutenberg

So far as the right or wrong of having contraband whisky was concerned, I don't think any one gave it a second thought.

From Project Gutenberg

Strange to say, the silken cord yielded to the first pull, as if nothing had been wrong with it at all!

From Project Gutenberg

Of Liszt the first part of this is not true, for if he strikes a wrong note it is simply because he chooses to be careless.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• amiss